


Camp Camelot

by lemoncellbros



Series: Merlin [2]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Adding Tags as I Continue, Alternate Universe - Summer Camp, Angst, Arthur is Prince of England, Enemies to Lovers, F/F, Flashbacks, Fluff, Humor, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M, Merlin is Head Counsellor, Modern Era, Multi, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-30
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:00:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 20,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25616251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lemoncellbros/pseuds/lemoncellbros
Summary: Right before he left, he had warned him:"You're already on very thin ice with me, Arthur. I wouldn't break it, if I were you."Prince Arthur of England is sent to Camp Camelot as punishment for being caught with a boy by the paparazzi.Merlin, head counsellor of Camp Camelot, can't figure out why this "Arthur" is so familiar.
Relationships: Elyan/Gwaine (Merlin), Gwen/Morgana (Merlin), Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: Merlin [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1840279
Comments: 64
Kudos: 104





	1. Get your Bug Spray, Arthur Pendragon

Arthur was positively furious.   
One toe out of line, one tiny mistake with a boy in the back alley behind a pub, resulted in this.  
It had been so stupid, a drunken accident. But Arthur simply couldn’t resist. The boy’s long black lashes, and his obnoxiously perfect blue eyes-what was he supposed to do?   
And that wasn’t all. His pale skin, his strangely attractive cheekbones, and the way he sighed a little when Arthur kissed him…well. Every normal 18 year-old boy was allowed to have a bit of fun, right? 

Except Arthur wasn’t a normal 18-year old boy. Not even close. 

His father had been positively raging over the incident.   
Right before he left, he had warned him:   
"You're already on very thin ice with me, Arthur. I wouldn't break it, if I were you."   
Arthur tried to understand. He was the Crown Prince of England. He had responsibilities. He had an image to maintain. He got it. He couldn’t just go about snogging people left and right and expect not to get in trouble.   
But here's the thing: he wasn’t being sent to Camp Go Fuck Yourself (or whatever it's bloody called) because he snogged someone. He was being sent because he snogged a boy.   
"Now Arthur, we support the gays, of course," his father had said imperiously, "but the royal family has a reputation."   
The message was loud and clear: being gay was fine, as long as you weren’t.   
  
I'm not even gay, he thought bitterly. I'm bisexual.   
But of course his father wouldn't know the damned difference. Now, he was stuck in the back of a security car, rolling along old dirt roads to a summer that would surely be from hell. No friends. No fluffy mattress. No Morgana. No home. 

As the car stumbled over the gravel, straight into the parking lot that was lined with trees and, Arthur was certain, mosquitoes, he felt his stomach sink. Nothing was right about this. Nothing at all.  
  
\---

Merlin whistled cheerfully as he headed down to greet the incoming buses of campers. He was head counsellor this year, and he couldn’t be more pleased.   
Not to mention, they’ve got a special guest this year, according to Gaius. He wouldn’t tell him who he was, only that he was very important and to treat him like royalty. Merlin had laughed at that. No one royal would come to Camp Camelot. It wasn’t nearly fit for the job. 

There were rats in the bathrooms, dirt between the sheets, and the food tasted like sand.   
Merlin loved the place. 

Every year since he was five, he’d joined hordes of children on a big school bus and bumped down the windy road to the camp. He’d played the introductory games like Icebreakers and Circle Up, and he sang along as loudly as possible to the horrible old songs at the campfire. Now, he was the only kid who’d stuck around long enough to actually get a job. And not just any job. The job. 

Ever since he was little, he’d dreamed of being head counsellor. You got all sorts of privileges: hot water, an extra ten minutes to sleep in, and first dibs at breakfast. Merlin could hardly wait. 

Now, he walked (practically skipped) down to the meeting place, a little grassy area with a wooden stage and lots of lanterns to be lit at night. Already, a hundred or so kids were seated eagerly in front of it, smiles wide and most of them sunburnt. Merlin beamed and stepped onto the stage, feeling like the most important person in the world. The euphoria was incredible. 

“Hello, campers!” He yelled.  
The more seasoned ones cried out, “hello, Merlin!”   
Merlin grinned. “It’s great to see all of you back, and even better to see some new faces in the crowd! Before we get started with all the boring rules and such-and-such, we can sing a song, eh?” 

The kids cheered, and Merlin distinctly spotted a golden-haired teenager about his age arguing with a man in a suit. He frowned. He’d never met anyone at camp who was unhappy to be there. Maybe he had just forgotten something. 

He brushed it off and led the kids in the Camp Camelot song, which was admittedly rather childish. He didn’t care. He loved it nonetheless. 

Oh Camp Camelot!   
Hear the birds and see the trees!   
Oh Camp Camelot!   
We will fall and scrape our knees!   
Oh Camp Camelot!  
Upon the lake there is a breeze!  
Oh Camp Camelot!  
Do not let us be stung by bees! 

Merlin was fairly certain that whoever wrote the song didn’t put much effort into it. Still, the kids broke into a wave of giggles after finishing it, and then it was time for the nasty old rules. He hated reciting them, but he did it anyways. 

“Ok, campers! Buckle down and be quiet, please, you’ve got to listen to the rules.”   
The kids settled down, though, as usual, a few still giggled quietly between whispers. That was about as good as Merlin was going to get.   
“Alright then! Number one: the curfew is 9:30 P.M. Anyone found out after it has passed will immediately be sent to kitchen duty.” Merlin eyed a few of the older kids in the back sternly. They’d tried to throw a party last year, and it had not gone well.   
“Number two,” he continued, “is to…”   
Suddenly, he completely forgot everything he was saying. The golden-haired boy he’d seen earlier had just turned around, and Jesus Christ he was gorgeous. 

His eyes were a bright, clear blue. His jawline was…well, Merlin had several thoughts. He had a slight tan that was quite shocking, considering the fact that they lived in England, but it looked good nonetheless. Not to mention he was incredibly fit.   
And there was something familiar about him that he couldn’t quite place. 

A child in the front row looked up at him quizzically.   
“Number two?” She asked in a little voice, and Merlin forced himself back to the present.   
“Right! Erm, number two is to stay in your own space! Don’t steal anyone’s things, don’t climb into their bed or eat their food. Be respectful to other kids, okay everyone?”   
“Okay, Merlin!” The kids chorused.   
Merlin barely made it through the rest of the rules without looking at the boy again. God, this was going to be a long summer.


	2. Home Sweet Camp

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur and Merlin meet properly, and Arthur is horrified to recognize exactly who the counsellor is. 
> 
> Not that Merlin has any idea who Arthur is, of course.

Arthur scowled and chucked his bag onto one of the rickety wooden beds. He’d been unceremoniously dropped at the head counsellor’s cabin thirty minutes ago by Agravaine, and no one had attended to him. 

Not only that, but the place was positively wretched. There were cobwebs in the corners of the ceiling, cracks in the windows (which Arthur was sure wasn’t allowed, what with bears and all), little ants crawling over the floorboards, and not to mention, the bathroom was outside. And it was shared. 

How was he supposed to take a shower in peace? 

Arthur sighed and took a look at the bed next to his. It had simple cotton covers with a light brown embroidering, and next to it was a nightstand stacked with books and sunscreen. Underneath the bed, there was a loose floorboard that he was certain hid something, though he didn’t quite feel bored enough to investigate it yet. Above the bed was a little sign, the kind you got in craft stores that said “Home Sweet Camp.” 

It made Arthur want to vomit. He hadn’t really paid attention to who the head counsellor even was, and he’d paid even less attention to the rules. It wasn’t as though he’d have to follow them, anyways. He was the Crown Prince of England. He would do as he pleased. 

Just as Arthur was considering different ways of escape, a boy about his age walked in. This must be the head counsellor, Arthur thought. He turned to greet him, and his mouth went dry. 

The boy standing in front of him wasn’t just any boy. It was the boy. The one that had caused this entire mess! It had to be the same one. He had the same dark hair and blue eyes, the same cheekbones and lanky build. Arthur felt like he was going to faint. 

“Hi,” the boy said, “I’m Merlin.”   
Flashbacks of Arthur whispering that very name in the alley forced their way into his mind, and he could feel his cheeks flush red.   
“Er…” he stammered.   
Merlin raised an eyebrow at him. “Something wrong?”   
Breathe, Arthur. Don’t make a fool of yourself, he clearly doesn’t remember you. Curse your high alcohol tolerance!   
“Arthur,” he said, and extended a hand to shake Merlin’s. Merlin took it, though it was clear he thought that Arthur was strange.   
“Who are you, anyway?” Merlin asked, eyes scrutinising Arthur’s red t-shirt and (perhaps too nice for a summer camp) jeans.   
Arthur let out a laugh. Was he quite serious?   
“Do you really not know who I am?”   
Merlin scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Well excuse me for not paying attention to pop stars.”   
THAT’s who Merlin thought he was?   
“I’m not a pop star,” Arthur said. Irritation was building up in his throat now.   
Merlin looked him up and down. “Right. Look, my friend, with those clothes you’re certainly not hiding very well?”  
Arthur bristled. “Did I say you were my friend?”   
Merlin looked a bit taken aback, but he recovered quickly. “No, I guess not.”   
“Right,” Arthur muttered, and turned to start unpacking his suitcase. It was probably better that he didn’t remember him. Then they could skip over the awkwardness.   
Merlin looked over his shoulder at his suitcase and let out a little huffed laugh.   
“Ah, Burberry. You’re quite a prat, aren’t you?”   
Arthur turned and stared at him, incredulous. “You can’t just talk to me like that.   
Merlin rolled his eyes. “Right, sorry.”   
Arthur thought that was the end of it, but then-  
“You’re quite a prat, my lord.”   
Arthur gaped at him. Merlin smirked, and Arthur tried to ignore the way that his heart skipped a beat.   
My lord was a bit dramatic, Arthur thought. He wasn’t a lord, he was a prince. Not that Merlin knew that, of course. And maybe it was a good thing that he didn’t. No one had ever spoken to him the way Merlin just had. It felt strange, but also…refreshing? A small part of him wanted more. 

But instead, Arthur simply shook his head and continued to unpack his things. 

\---

Merlin breathed in the woody smell of campfire smoke. It was delicious, twirling and dancing in little spirals in the night air, and Merlin felt his heart swell with happiness. He truly loved this camp, even though Arthur clearly thought it stupid. 

Merlin glanced over at the blonde boy across the campfire. He was sitting on a log, looking horrendously uncomfortable and bundled up in one of Gaius’s blankets (which were usually reserved for younger campers). Arthur kept swatting at the mosquitoes around him, swearing quietly and tugging his blue beanie down around his ears. As much of a prat as he was, Merlin couldn’t deny that he was sort of adorable. In a “pompous city brat doesn’t understand The Forest” kind of a way. 

There was something else, too. The more Merlin watched Arthur, the more familiar he seemed. He was almost certain that he’d met the boy somewhere before. Every time their eyes met, something in the back of Merlin’s mind stirred. They definitely weren’t strangers. He was certain of it. 

He’d told Gaius about that feeling, but Gaius had simply laughed it off.   
“You’re too paranoid, Merlin,” he’d said, and maybe he was right.   
Merlin was always thinking that something was wrong. A noise in the night was a demon about to haunt him. A whisper in his ear was the ghost of an old spirit. And there was that dream he kept having, about an old voice saying a mysterious name…Emrys.   
All of that could be utter poppycock, of course. 

But this thing with Arthur wasn’t. He had this strange feeling that if he could simply touch him, he’d know who he was. When he’d shaken his hand, there had been this hazy flash of blinking lights that he remembered, sort of like cameras. He didn’t know where it had come from. He was never around cameras. After all, he was a camp counsellor. Technology wasn’t exactly his best friend. 

Nonetheless, he knew there was something there, and he was determined to find out what it was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, second chapter! I'm feeling wonderfully inspired for this story, so I'll update in time to when I've finished writing the chapters.   
> I wanted to keep some element of their original meeting, because I love it so much, and I hope it worked well.  
> Thank you all for reading!


	3. Cuddling the Enemy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin has a nightmare. Arthur, with his *princely instincts*, wants to help.

Good lord, Merlin was impossible to room with. The boy tossed and turned and murmured things in his sleep, and if that wasn’t bad enough, he would cry out in the night. Arthur would have felt sympathy for him, if not for the fact that this was the second week since arriving at camp, and he was getting rather sick of it. 

Just then, Merlin whimpered, a high pitched noise that made something in Arthur’s psyche alight with a protective instinct. Arthur groaned and got out of bed. If he ever wanted a proper sleep, something would have to be done. 

Arthur crept quietly over to Merlin’s bed, where the boy was writhing in the sheets, expression fraught with some sort of internal pain. Arthur felt his heart twist a little at the sight.   
“Merlin,” he whispered. There was no change.   
Arthur sighed. He was no stranger to nightmares.

When he was younger, before his mother had died, she used to sooth him back to sleep by lying next to him and stroking his hair gently. It had worked every time. Perhaps it would with Merlin. Arthur was about to lie down next to him, but he quickly stopped himself. It was different with his mother. She was family. He and Merlin barely knew each other, and even then, they disliked each other strongly. This would be completely insane. Arthur started to creep back to his bed when Merlin cried out. 

“Dad!”  
Arthur froze. Now that he simply could not ignore. Judging by the intensity of the nightmare, the fact that Gaius treated Merlin like a son, and what Merlin had just said…  
Arthur knew what it was like to lose a parent. It was something he felt in his soul every day of his life, something that weighed in his heart like a rock. It was a lonely, gripping feeling. 

Merlin did not deserve to be alone right now. 

Arthur turned back and silently crawled under the covers, positioning himself so that he was lying with his chest to Merlin’s back. Cautiously, he put his arm around Merlin, and the tossing and turning immediately died down. Arthur swallowed. If Merlin woke up, he would have no explanation. Still, he had to help. It wasn’t in his nature to turn away when someone was in need. Especially not this kind of need. Arthur gently drew Merlin closer to him, hoping that the slight pressure would relieve some of his tension. Merlin let out a shuddering breath, then hummed a little and tucked into a ball, curling into Arthur’s warmth. Arthur’s cheeks went redder than his father’s in a rage. 

Merlin murmured something quietly, though Arthur didn’t hear it. He looked rather angelic when he was sleeping, black hair messy and lips parted slightly. Arthur’s stomach flipped.   
This was just to help him, he reminded himself. Nothing more. 

Arthur tried to relax, but found that he could not. It must’ve been around 2 in the morning, so he decided that he would stay awake until it was time for him to return to his own bed and pretend like nothing had happened. In his sleep, Merlin turned so that he was facing Arthur’s chest and wrapped his arms around him. Arthur steadfastly ignored the way something in him softened at this. It wasn’t a good idea, to get emotional about this. Merlin hated him, he hated Merlin. He was simply helping him when he was in need. There was no reason to overthink it. Arthur, despite his greatest efforts, found himself moving closer to Merlin. He was very warm, after all, and this cabin was bloody freezing.

Too late, Arthur saw Merlin’s eyes blinking up at him. His heart dropped.   
“Arthur?” Merlin mumbled, still half-asleep.   
Oh, god. Arthur tried to think quickly. “You’re dreaming,” he whispered, making a strange Jedi-esque movement with his hand.   
Merlin squinted a little. “Why would I dream about you?”   
Well, that was just plain rude. “I don’t know. It’s your subconscious, not mine.”   
Merlin seemed satisfied with that. He nodded and went back to sleep, somehow clutching Arthur even closer than before. 

Arthur really hoped he wouldn’t remember this in the morning. 

\---

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. 

Merlin groaned. It was canoe day, and he was really not in the mood. He’d had the worst nightmares last night, which then transitioned into this oddly pleasant dream about-  
Merlin paused his thoughts. His arm, while stretching, had just hit something next to him. Something that felt suspiciously like an ear. 

Merlin swallowed. He was hallucinating, surely. He looked down, and there, in the covers next to him was Arthur. 

“AHHHHHH!” 

Arthur woke up so quickly that he fell out of the bed. Merlin scrambled out of the covers and grabbed his walking stick from the corner. Arthur’s head poked out from behind the bed, looking dazed until he saw Merlin staring at him. Then, his eyes shot open, and Merlin was forcibly reminded of the scene in Peter Pan when John sees Peter for the first time. Merlin waved his walking stick threateningly. 

“What were you doing in my bed?” He yelled, and Arthur’s face had gone so red that Merlin was almost afraid that he would pass out. 

Arthur stumbled to his feet. “Me? What were you doing in my bed?” 

Merlin squinted. “What?” 

“You were in my bed, Merlin, not the other way around.” Arthur huffed. 

Merlin gaped at him. “You’ve got to be joking. Arthur, that’s my bed. I know it because I chose it myself.” 

“Are you sure?” Arthur asked, chin raised up haughtily. Merlin couldn’t stop his mouth from opening and closing. He knew the boy was stupid, but honestly! This was ridiculous. 

“Yes! I’m sure!” Merlin cried indignantly. 

Arthur shrugged. “I think you’re mistaken.” 

Merlin just stared at him for a moment. Then, at a loss for words, he grabbed his day-clothes and stormed out of the cabin. He would change in the bloody bathroom. That arrogant twit! Pretending like he hadn’t been sleeping in his bed, probably just as a way to mess with him. 

Well, Merlin thought, he wasn’t the only one that was good at messing with people.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was so fun to write! I love a good hurt/comfort chapter, even if in the morning one of them ends up making the stupidest excuse of all time. I think every story needs some funny moments.   
> Thank you for reading!


	4. A Regular Prince out of Water

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's canoeing day, and Merlin and Arthur are stuck together.

Arthur was an idiot. Seriously. He had never done anything more stupid. 

I mean, “you were in my bed, not the other way around?” How the hell did he think that would work? Arthur resisted the urge to smack himself upside the head, and instead opted for splashing his face with cold water. He hissed at the shock. Hopefully Merlin would just forget about the whole thing. 

Arthur quickly dressed-jeans, a red shirt, and sneakers-and headed down to the meeting place. Merlin, as usual, was standing on the stage in front of the kids and beaming widely. Though, when he saw Arthur, his grin faltered. Arthur tactfully pretended that he couldn’t see him, and admired a piece of grass. This was working out to be the worst morning of his life, and it wasn’t even 7 yet. 

“Alright, campers!” Merlin cried out. Arthur winced at the volume. “Today, we will be canoeing, as you know from your itineraries. I hope you brought appropriate clothing!”   
At this, Merlin glanced at Arthur. Great. He was riding the Embarrassment Train today, straight to Humiliation Station. All aboard, idiot. 

“I’d like everyone to get into two even lines. Whoever you’re across from will be your partner! I’ll time you!” Merlin said, and twisted an ancient egg timer that looked as though it had been at the camp since the Middle Ages. Arthur sighed and got to his feet, walking into the right hand line behind jostling children. This was so stupid. He was the Prince of England, for Christ’s sakes. He didn’t have to canoe with a bunch of primary schoolers.   
Up at the front of the line, he noticed Merlin and Gaius arguing through smiles. He could tell by the way Merlin’s eyebrows kept jumping up his forehead. It was the same expression he’d made the day Arthur had (politely) asked him if he could polish his boots while he had a quick wash. He had ended up with the boots thrown at his head. Whatever it was, the other teenager was clearly not happy. 

Just then, Merlin stomped over to Arthur’s place in the line.   
“Gaius says we’re to be partners,” he spat out. “Since we’re the same age.”   
Arthur would have laughed at Merlin’s pouty expression, if not for the sudden realisation that he would be spending the day in a canoe with the boy. Jesus, Merlin was going to murder him!   
Arthur desperately looked around the camp for someone else to be his partner. 

“What about him?” He asked, pointing to a boy about their age with wavy, shoulder-length brown hair.   
Merlin shook his head. “That’s Gwaine, the fencing instructor.”   
“And him?” Arthur pointed to a muscly boy with short hair.  
“Percival. He teaches Arts and Crafts.”   
“Ok, um,” Arthur continued his search. His eyes landed on a slightly older boy with curly blond hair. “How about him?”   
“That’s Leon. He leads the hikes.”   
Arthur tried not to huff in frustration. The only two people around his age left were a girl and a boy in the corner of the courtyard, talking quietly and giggling.   
“And them?” He asked, and Merlin followed his gaze.   
“Oh, those are the Smith siblings, Gwen and Elyan. Gwen’s a cook, and Elyan’s the swim instructor.”   
Arthur swallowed. His chances really were hopeless. “I see.”   
“Yup,” Merlin said. He didn’t seem too thrilled either. “You’re stuck with me.” 

Arthur and Merlin grumpily made their way over to the canoes.   
“Now remember,” Merlin called out to the kids, “if you’re in trouble, blow your whistle! Elyan or I will come and help you.”   
The kids made cheerful noises of agreement. Merlin and the other counsellors helped the kids into their canoes and gave them a quick rowing lesson, then sent them off into the lake. After each child had an oar in hand and a life-vest, Arthur was finally left to face the other teenager. 

Merlin didn’t say anything, just helped him into his life-vest and jumped in the canoe. Arthur followed suit. Maybe nothing would happen, and they’d stay silent the entire time, and they could go back to pretending the other didn’t exist. That would be much preferable to the alternative. Arthur did not want to talk about this morning’s incident. 

As they pushed off of the shore, Arthur glanced nervously at Merlin. The boy had a mischievous look in his eye. 

Arthur didn’t like this. Not one bit.   
\---

Merlin couldn’t stand it. It had been an hour of pure silence, and, though he wasn’t eager to talk to Arthur, he was getting bored. They couldn’t go on like this forever. Merlin glanced at the boy across from him. He looked absolutely ridiculous. Honestly, jeans in a canoe? He got that pop stars were a bit weird, but this was just insane. 

“Don’t you have swim trunks?” He blurted. Oh, god. Couldn’t he keep his mouth shut for once? 

Arthur rolled his eyes. “Honestly, Merlin. Did you think I’d know there would be canoes at a summer camp?” 

Merlin stared at him. Was this some sort of trick question? “Erm…yes?” 

Arthur sighed. “Well, I clearly didn’t.” 

Merlin huffed. This was getting them nowhere. He glanced around at the kids. They were all rowing, laughing and talking amicably under the bright yellow sun. They at least knew how to have fun. 

Another thirty minutes later, and Arthur hadn’t stopped complaining for at least twenty of them. 

“God, how many bugs can there be in one place?” He yelled angrily, swatting at the mosquitoes trying to eat him alive. Merlin tried to supress a smile. He was wearing at least five coats of bug spray and sunscreen. 

“What’s the matter, Your Highness?” He teased. “Not a fan of the great outdoors?” 

Arthur glared at him. “No, I’m not. This whole place stinks, and there are bugs trying to eat me, and there were actual spiders in my shoes this morning. Spiders! I don’t know how you people can stand it.” 

Merlin frowned. He didn’t like the way he’d said ‘you people’, as though they were irritating peasants. “Well, I’m sorry it’s not up to your standards.” 

“You’re damned right it’s not up to my standards!” Arthur growled. “You may be perfectly content living in this sewage drain, but I am not. There are clean rooms at home waiting for me, with a comforter that doesn’t leave a bloody rash on you in the morning!” 

Merlin felt a white hot bolt of anger slice through his logic. He got to his feet, infuriated. This was his home. No one called it a sewage drain. 

“You’re a right arse, you know that?” He yelled, and he didn’t even care that the children could most definitely hear him. 

Arthur scoffed. “What, just because I don’t want to spend my summer in a dump?” 

Merlin’s vision went red, and before he knew it, he had pushed Arthur into the water. 

Arthur, who had taken off his life-vest because he thought it was uncomfortable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I absolutely am including as many classic summer camp events as possible. This chapter was really fun to write, especially the little nods to the Knights and Gwen. Don't worry, they'll make appearances in later chapters.   
> Thank you for reading!


	5. Kitchen Duty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After pushing Arthur into the lake, Gaius sends Merlin and Arthur off to kitchen duty...and Merlin finally learns exactly who Arthur is.

An hour after Elyan had fished Arthur out of the lake, Merlin stood in Gaius’s office with his head bowed. 

“Now, Merlin,” Gaius says, “I know Arthur can be very irritating. But you can’t very well go pushing the Prince of England into the lake!” 

Merlin felt his heart stop. The WHAT? “Wait-“ 

“No matter how frustrating he is! I really am not in the mood to get a visit from his father, Merlin. One bad misunderstanding and the whole camp goes down in flames.” Gaius prattled on. 

Merlin stood fixed to the floor. “Gaius-“ 

“The lawsuits this could cause!” Gaius cried. “Good lord, boy, you need to think!” 

“Gaius!” Merlin shouted, and the old man raised an imperious eyebrow at him.

“Yes, Merlin, what is it?” 

“Arthur. He’s-“ Merlin swallowed. This was very bad. “He’s the Prince of England?”

“Well yes, Merlin, obviously.” Gaius stated, as though it were the most simple thing in the world. 

“You didn’t tell me that!” Merlin yelled, panic bubbling up in his throat. He’d called the Prince of England a prat, an arse, and he’d almost gotten him killed. The police would be after him next! 

Gaius stared at him. “I didn’t expect that I would have to.” 

“Yes, you did! How was I supposed to know that he was the Prince?” Merlin asked, heart racing. He had threatened him with a stick! 

Gaius let out a rather condescending laugh. “Well, forgive me for assuming you would know the members of the royal family, Merlin. It’s not as though you live in this country.” 

Merlin felt sick. “I thought he was a pop star.”

“A pop star!” Gaius scoffed. “Now that really is something, Merlin. I assure you, he most certainly is not. And as of now, you have better things to do than gawk at me for not knowing your own bloody Prince.” 

“Such as?” Merlin asked, dread welling in his stomach. Please, anything but-

“Kitchen duty.” 

\---

Gwen (the cook, Arthur remembered) met them in the kitchens with two gigantic bags of potatoes and a peeler for each of them. 

“Hello, Merlin,” she smiled sweetly. Then she turned to him. “Arthur.” 

Great. His reputation with the servants staff was already ruined. Arthur grimaced as he took the bag of potatoes. This was ridiculous. He shouldn’t be punished. Merlin was the one that pushed him into the lake! And nearly drowned him, by the way. Princes did not swim. Either way, Gaius hadn’t cared. He’d said that the two could use some “bonding time.” Arthur shuddered. Merlin was about the last person on earth that he wanted to bond with. 

Arthur and Merlin trudged over to their work stations, beginning the slow work of peeling and cutting the potatoes. They were to be part of tonight’s dinner, he expected. He examined one. It seemed alright, though he much preferred Russets to Yukon…

Next to him, Merlin was chopping the potatoes with such force that Arthur had to resist the urge to run from him. Perhaps giving the boy a knife wasn’t the best idea. Arthur tried to focus on his own potatoes. Gwen was having them season them with pepper, salt, and a bit of rosemary, which Arthur thought was surprisingly fancy for a summer camp. Arthur arranged the cut up potatoes on the sheet pan and sprinkled the seasonings on them. They looked pretty good, he thought. He’d never thought of himself as a great cook, but it seemed he was. 

Merlin kept looking at him strangely. Every few potato slices, he’d glance over at Arthur like he was some sort of disease. Eventually, after about a half hour of it, Arthur couldn’t stand it anymore. 

“What is it, Merlin?” Arthur grumbled as he set the sheet of potatoes in the oven. 

Merlin jumped a little, narrowly missing cutting off his own finger. “Nothing. What are you talking about?” 

“You keep looking at me,” Arthur said, and went back to seasoning more potatoes. 

“Oh, I’m not allowed to look at you now? My most sincere apologies, your royal pratness.” Merlin dipped into an overly dramatic fake curtsy. Arthur rolled his eyes. 

“Whatever,” he muttered. The boy obviously had some sort of issue with him. 

Just then, Gwen came over to check on them. 

“Hello, boys!” She said cheerfully, examining the potatoes that Arthur had seasoned. “Those look great, Your Majesty.” 

Arthur felt his cheeks go a bit red. “Please, you don’t have to call me that. It’s embarrassing.” 

Gwen laughed. “All the more reason to call you that.” 

Suddenly, Merlin slammed his knife down on the cutting board. “You KNEW!?” 

Gwen blinked at him. “Knew what, Merlin?” 

Merlin huffed and glared at the both of them. “That he’s the Prince!” 

Arthur stared at him. Surely Merlin must be joking. “You didn’t know I was the Prince?” 

Merlin shook his head adamantly. “No!” 

Gwen looked at him, eyes wide, and burst into giggles. The look on Merlin’s face was so incredulous that Arthur couldn’t help but join her. This gangly, clumsy camp counsellor was probably the only person in the entire United Kingdom who didn’t know who he was, and somehow managed to be angry about it. Arthur took a deep breath, half bent over from laughing so much. He straightened and looked at Merlin, who was still utterly furious, and just like that he was laughing again. The boy was so ridiculous! Gwen was now in a fit of silent giggles, mirth completely overcoming her. 

Merlin glared at them. “It’s not that funny.” 

Gwen finally managed to stop laughing. “I know, I know, I’m sorry, it’s just-“   
She took one look at Arthur and went right back to her laughter. 

Arthur chuckled. “Honestly, Merlin, that’s a bit stupid of you.”   
Merlin sent him a look of pure fury, and before he knew it, there was a bucket of soapy water being dumped over his head. From somewhere behind him, he heard Gwen gasp, and from in front of him, there was the sound of feet running away. Arthur groped around for a towel and tried to rub the stinging sensation out of his eyes. He turned to Gwen, who met his eyes with a grimace. 

“Perhaps we went a bit too far,” she said, brow furrowed in concern. 

Arthur nodded and rinsed the towel with cold water in the sink, bringing it to his face and trying to get the soap off. To his right, Gwen took the potatoes out of the oven and sampled one. She made a strange little noise in the back of her throat. 

“Arthur,” she said, sympathy in her voice, “did you mix up the salt and the sugar?” 

Arthur groaned and covered his face with the towel. 

God, this truly was the worst day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, I'm finding Gaius surprisingly easy to write! I have no idea what it is about him, but that seems to be the way it is for some reason. I also had quite a bit of fun writing Gwen. Those who read my last fic will know she wasn't in it that much, and I'm really enjoying her character. 
> 
> As always, thank you for reading, and please leave a comment if you have any thoughts! I love getting feedback.


	6. Smile for the Tabloids

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin finds out why Arthur seems so familiar.

Merlin stormed into his cabin, absolutely furious. The nerve of him! And Gwen, too. It would’ve been perfectly fine if she’d laughed at him when they were by themselves, but in front of Arthur… Ugh. Merlin jumped onto his bed and grabbed his phone. He was going to find out everything about this prince, like it or not. 

He typed “Prince Arthur of England” into the search bar. The very first thing that came up was an article titled “Prince Arthur-Gay? New Photos Shed Light on his Sexuality.” Merlin grimaced, but clicked on it. He was too curious. 

‘In scandalous new photos, Prince Arthur is seen snogging another boy his age in the back alley of a pub. The photos have given some hope to the Prince’s fanbase, who have remained adamant over the years that Arthur is likely gay, or even bisexual. If indeed he is, that would make Prince Arthur the first openly gay member of the royal family. One must wonder-what does King Uther think?’ 

Beneath the small blurb was a slideshow of the paparazzi photos, saying “OPEN.” Merlin, feeling strangely compelled by it, did as it instructed. The first photo was one of two teenagers, one blonde and one dark-haired. The blonde was obviously Arthur, but there was something strangely familiar about the dark-haired one. Merlin clicked on the next picture. This time, the other boy was facing the camera, and-

So that was where he remembered Arthur from. 

\---

FLASHBACK: 

Usually, when Gwaine invited Merlin to the pub, he said no. Not this time. He was bored and a bit sad, and honestly there was nothing better to do. 

And that’s how Merlin got here, in the pub with a whiskey in hand, feeling much friendlier than usual and plenty buzzed. Gwaine was off somewhere with Elyan, which was no surprise to him. Merlin ordered a few shots from the bartender. One week from now, he’d start his job as head counsellor at Camp Camelot. Why not have a bit of fun? 

Merlin downed the shots quickly, enjoying the way they stung the back of his throat and made his brain go fuzzy. It was nice not to think sometimes, and Gwaine was right-he was far too uptight. Merlin stood up to find him, and immediately stumbled into someone. The person turned around to face him, and holy shit was he gorgeous. The stranger seemed drunk as well, based on the smell of alcohol on him. Merlin didn’t really care. 

“Hi,” he said. “I’m Merlin.” 

The blonde smiled. “I’m Arthur.” 

Merlin grabbed his hand and led him outside of the pub. It was too loud in there, he thought. He wanted to be alone with this guy. Merlin smiled at him and reached up to touch his hair. It was very soft, he thought, and very nice to touch. The stranger gently pushed away his hand, and Merlin frowned. 

“You’re pretty,” he mumbled. 

The stranger-Arthur!!! That was his name-grinned. “You too.” 

Merlin wrapped his arms around his neck and pulled him closer to him. He had this inexplicable urge to touch. 

Merlin inched up and kissed him. 

\---

BACK TO NORMAL TIME: 

Merlin felt sick. He barely even remembered that night, just the hangover afterward. But the more he thought about it and looked at the pictures, the more he remembered. Based off of his memories, Arthur had been pretty damn drunk as well. 

Did he remember what had happened? 

Merlin felt his stomach turn. If Arthur did remember, and he’d chosen not to tell him and pretend like it hadn’t happened… He was ashamed of it. He didn’t want Merlin to know because he was embarrassed. He frowned and stood up. There was no way he was letting Arthur just get away with this. If he didn’t remember, that was fine. If he was ashamed, though-

Well. Merlin wasn’t going to let him off the hook just like that. 

\---

Arthur had decided, after much internal debate, to apologise. That was the polite thing to do. If he didn’t, who knows what horrors Merlin would have in store for him. So, Arthur was nervously making his way to his cabin, praying to whoever was up there that Merlin didn’t have any silly string. He didn’t have to walk far. Merlin was storming across the green to him, phone in hand and expression furious. Arthur felt his stomach sink. This was not going to end well. 

Merlin stopped as soon as he was in front of him. “I looked you up.” 

Shit. If Merlin had looked him up, the first thing that he’d see would be-

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Merlin asked, eyebrows narrowed together. “Are you embarrassed?” 

Arthur’s heart was racing. This could not be happening. “What?” 

“Or am I supposed to just believe that you don’t remember?” Merlin spat. 

Arthur stepped back from him, desperately trying to think of something to say. “You didn’t.” 

“Well now I do!” Merlin shouted, a sarcastic smile twisting his features. 

Arthur swallowed. They were starting to attract attention. The younger kids were mulling about around them, whispering to each other and staring. Some of the other counsellors were there too, trying and failing to get them to leave. 

“There’s this thing called common decency,” Merlin said, voice condescending and venomous, “and if you knew what that was, you absolute arse of a prince, you would’ve told me.” 

“How was I supposed to tell you?” Arthur yelled. “Oh hey, Merlin, nice to meet you! Do you remember that time we made out when we were drunk and then got caught by the paparazzi?”   
There were gasps from the kids and the counsellors, and Arthur felt sick. He wasn’t supposed to know. He wasn’t supposed to find out! It would’ve been so much easier if he’d just forgotten the whole thing and stayed that way. 

“That would’ve been a start!” Merlin cried, and to Arthur’s horror, he saw that his eyes were just slightly red. 

Jesus Christ, this day was the worst. Arthur took a look at the gathering crowd, grabbed Merlin’s hand, and dragged him away to the archery range. (Probably not the best idea, he thought later). Merlin pushed him off and scowled at him. 

“Why are you here, Arthur?” 

Boy, was that a loaded question. There were so many answers he could give. ‘Because I got caught making out with you, Merlin.’ ‘Because my dad doesn’t want the country knowing I’m into men like that.’ ‘Because I’m the damn Prince of England and I’m not allowed to have a bit of fun.’ 

Instead, Arthur said, “Because I made a mistake.” 

Merlin raised an eyebrow at him. “What mistake?” 

Arthur sighed and sat down in the grass. “I got caught with a boy. You, Merlin. And of course it’s a scandal when other royals are seen kissing somebody in a pub, but it’s fine as long as it’s straight. This isn’t just a scandal. To my father, this was me ruining the royal family’s reputation and screaming to the entire country that I’m a bloody-“ 

He couldn’t bring himself to say it. It’s what his father would say to him. He ignored the pricking of tears at the back of his eyes and continued. 

“I’m bisexual. The royal family isn’t supposed to have bisexuals. They’re supposed to have perfect little heterosexual Queens and Kings and Princes and Princesses and Dukes and Duchesses. And my father found out because the tabloids can’t keep their noses out of my damn business. So he sent me here, as punishment.” Arthur stared at the grass, blinking back his tears. He couldn’t meet Merlin’s eyes. 

Merlin thought for a moment, then kneeled next to him and set a hand on his shoulder.   
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know.” 

Arthur shook his head. “It’s fine.” 

“No, it’s not.” Merlin tilted Arthur’s head slightly so that he was looking at him. “You deserve to be open about who you are. Just because you’re the prince doesn’t mean you have to hide everything about you.”   
Arthur scoffed. “I’m afraid that’s exactly what being the prince entails, Merlin.” 

“But it doesn’t have to.” Merlin said. 

Arthur stared at him. He seemed so genuine, so open. He actually believed that Arthur could do what he wanted if he chose to. Or at least, he hoped that he could. 

“Look,” Merlin said quietly, releasing Arthur and crossing his arms across his chest, “I understand why you’re not fond of the camp. I mean, if I had to look around every day and see a visible reminder of my father’s anger with me, I wouldn’t be too cheerful either.” 

Arthur snorts. Merlin has a way of turning every awful situation into something slightly amusing that baffles him. It’s a talent he can’t pretend to understand. 

“But,” Merlin started again, “I can help you make the best of it. Summer camp can actually be really fun if you forget about the reason you’re here. I don’t want you to be totally miserable all the time.” 

Arthur nodded. He had a point. “What do you suggest?” 

“You can help me with my counselling duties, as well as the others. See what you like and all that. Maybe you’ll find something here that you really enjoy.” Merlin smiled at him hopefully, and something in Arthur’s anger at being here melted a little. 

“Alright,” he agreed. “I’m up for the challenge.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first truly angsty chapter of the story yet! I had fun writing this one. I can only imagine how awful it would be to be in either Merlin or Arthur's situation. Either way, it's good that they had some time to get to know each other in this chapter, I think.   
> As always, thank you for reading!


	7. What is this Feeling?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Despite not even being friends, Arthur and Merlin can't deny that the other isn't exactly horrible to look at.

When Merlin had asked Gwaine to teach Arthur some basic fencing skills, he hadn’t quite anticipated what it would be like. After all, it was some simple swordplay, nothing dramatic or difficult. And besides, Arthur would be a beginner. It wasn’t like he’d be whirling around the training grounds, expertly slashing and parrying with Gwaine and making Merlin’s mouth go dry. 

Which is what he was currently doing. 

Merlin tried his best to hide his blush from where he was sitting on the bench. Arthur was barely even a friend. This…attraction to him was not at all appropriate, and frankly a bit strange. Arthur did some sort of complicated twirl/stab combo move, and quicker than Merlin could blink, Gwaine was lying on the ground with Arthur’s sword pointed at him. Merlin winced in sympathy for the brunette. He wasn’t beat often (unless by Leon, occasionally). This had to be difficult for him. And for the head counsellor, who was currently crossing his legs and pretending like that was the most comfortable sitting position in the world. 

Arthur helped Gwaine up, and the two went to grab a drink from the water dispenser, which just happened to be right next to Merlin. Arthur filled the small paper cup up to the brim, swallowing it down quickly. He made a little “ahh” noise, and Merlin felt his face heat. 

Arthur beamed down at him. “What did you think, Merlin? Weren’t expecting that, I bet.” 

Gwaine, thank god, saved him. “I certainly wasn’t. You’re a skilled swordsman, my friend.” 

“It’s part of my princely training,” Arthur said in a mockingly pompous voice. 

Gwaine laughed. “Well, it’s a good thing. It’s been a long time since I’ve had any competition at this camp. No offence to the seven-year olds, but they’re not exactly battle-hardened knights.” 

Arthur grinned. “I bet not.” 

The two returned to their sparring, and Merlin was just about to run off to the bathrooms when Gwen sat down next to him on the bench. 

“He’s quite good,” she said, watching the two spar with interest. “I wasn’t expecting that.” 

“Me neither,” Merlin replied. “It was a bit shocking.” 

Gwen smiled. “I’m sure.” 

They watched the two fight for a while. Both of them seemed close to beating each other at any second, and it was quite the thrill to observe. Gwaine slashed at Arthur quickly, and the blonde tripped and fell. Merlin’s breath caught. Before Gwaine could do anything, though, Arthur jumped back to his feet and fought with even more resilience than before. Merlin sighed in relief. Gwen glanced at him, but said nothing, which Merlin was grateful for. He didn’t relish the idea of explaining himself. 

Not that there was anything to explain. It was simply a bit of physical attraction, that was all. It wasn’t as though Merlin had any actual feelings for him. That would be ridiculous and foolish. After all, Arthur was the Prince of England. Surely he wouldn’t even be allowed to so much as look at Merlin. And besides, Arthur obviously wasn’t attracted to him. Just like Merlin wasn’t. Obviously. There was nothing there whatsoever. 

Beside him, Gwen leaned in and whispered, “are you excited for the counsellor party tonight?” 

Merlin had nearly forgot about that. The fencing lesson was…distracting, to say the least. 

“Yeah,” he said cheerfully. “Should be fun.” 

“Are you going to bring Arthur?” She asked, seemingly innocent. Merlin knew better. Gwen was secretly quite the meddler when it came to relationships. 

“I probably will,” he said, trying to be nonchalant. “It’s not like he has anyone else to hang out with.” 

“Good,” Gwen responded sweetly. “He needs more friends at camp than just you.” 

“I am not his friend,” Merlin scoffed. 

Gwen rolled her eyes. “Right, and I’m not Elyan’s sister.” 

Merlin sighed. “I’m serious, Gwen. He’s the Prince. Any friendship I try to make with him won’t last. Soon enough he’ll be back to Buckingham Palace, with his corgis and his fancy goose-feather pillows.” 

Gwen laughed. “Something tells me he won’t care about that quite as much as he used to.” 

Merlin turned to look at her. She was smirking at him. “What do you mean?” 

Gwen shrugged. “I just think you might be teaching him a lesson, slowly but surely.” 

Merlin was about to reply, but Arthur and Gwaine quickly interrupted. The lesson was over, and it was almost time for dinner. And after that-the counsellor party. 

Gwaine gave Arthur a friendly pat on the shoulder. “Will we see you at the party tonight?” 

“Party?” Arthur looked at him, confused. “What party?” 

“The counsellor party! I assumed Merlin had told you.” Gwaine glanced at the boy on the bench, every inch of his expression reading ‘why didn’t you tell him?’

“I was going to bring it up at dinner,” Merlin said, though that wasn’t entirely true. Before Gwen had said something, he wasn’t going to bring it up at all. 

Arthur smiled at the confirmation and nodded. “Well then, I’ll be sure to be there.” 

“Great!” Gwaine grinned. “Meet us by the dock at eight.” 

Arthur nodded. “Will do.” 

Gwaine gave him one last smile and strolled off to the bathrooms, probably planning on a shower. Gwen nodded politely at Arthur and left as well, throwing a wink at Merlin right before she disappeared from view. Merlin repressed the urge to throw her the finger. She was definitely trying to set them up now. 

Jesus, would this ever be a normal summer? 

\---

Arthur sighed. This was too much to handle. He had accepted the fact that he and Merlin were barely friends, if anything, but that didn’t really stop the attraction that kept bubbling to the surface at inconvenient times. 

Merlin was casually sitting on his bed, towel slung across one shoulder and the standard issue cargo shorts and camp t-shirt on. His hair was met and sticking up in places, and there were little beads of water trickling down the back of his neck and down his throat. Really, it shouldn’t be attractive. I mean, the camp t-shirt was a hideous bright yellow. No one, not even the Queen, looked good in that colour. 

Except Merlin, apparently. Arthur rolled over onto his other side. He couldn’t let himself look anymore. Merlin was bound to notice eventually. The two were taking a quick rest before the party started at eight, and Arthur wished that the clock would just hurry up already. This was torture. The problem was, ever since he and Merlin’s chat three days ago, Arthur’s inconvenient feelings had been growing more prominent. It was awful! Even though he and Merlin didn’t despise each other anymore, it was clear that Merlin was barely even interested in being friends with him. 

Yeah, this whole “attracted to the head counsellor” thing was not going to work out well. Especially since he seemed to have something going on with Gwen. Arthur wasn’t an idiot. He hadn’t missed the winks and the smirks she’d been sending him while he practiced with Gwaine. And Merlin had smiled back, too. Clearly they had been in a relationship since camp had begun. There was no hope for Arthur. 

Arthur frowned and peeked back over his shoulder at Merlin. The other boy was lying back on the bed, idly chewing on his bottom lip while he read. Arthur felt his face flush. Jesus, he needed to stop his stupid brain from looking at him. Just as he was about to turn back over, Merlin looked up from his book and met his eyes. Arthur’s blush went an even deeper red. 

Merlin narrowed his eyes and sat up, peering at him. “Did you put on sunscreen today?” 

“Erm…” Arthur said helpfully. 

Merlin sighed and handed him a bottle of what looked to be green jelly. “Put that on it, it’ll help.” 

“What is it?” Arthur asked. It looked a bit fishy. 

Merlin rolled his eyes. “It’s aloe vera, Arthur. I promise, I didn’t just hand you weed-scented lube or whatever you think that is.” 

Arthur gaped at him, and Merlin’s ears turned a bit pink. Arthur stood up quickly and ran over to the mirror, carefully applying the aloe to all the places he was blushing-or actually sunburned, at this point he couldn’t tell. Behind him in the mirror, Arthur noticed that Merlin’s face had turned a fierce scarlet. He couldn’t blame him. ‘Weed-scented lube’ was a colourful phrase, to say the least. 

Merlin quickly checked the time on his phone. “It’s 7:55, we’d better get going.” 

Arthur turned and nodded. “Right.” 

Merlin gave him a very awkward thumbs-up. God, being enemies wasn’t this difficult. Maybe they should go back to that. Arthur pulled on a flannel and headed out the door. 

He really hoped that this party would be better than the pub.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, the title is a Wicked reference. I'd like to formerly apologize for the weed-scented lube line; I couldn't resist. The next chapter is going to be the counsellor party, and I assure you that you won't want to miss it. 
> 
> As always, thank you for reading! Please leave comments if you have any thoughts!


	8. Spin the Truth or Dare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur and Merlin go to the counsellor party. Secrets are spilled and lips are met.

Merlin, like a complete and utter idiot, had forgotten about the traditional counsellor party games. It would have been fine if Arthur wasn’t there. He had played Spin the Bottle and 7 Minutes in Heaven so many times and with so many combinations that he’d probably kissed every single person here. But it was different with Arthur. Because even though he didn’t like him, not remotely, he was afraid of what it would bring up if he did kiss him. He had very faint memories of what exactly had gone down at the pub, but he knew it wasn’t rated PG-13. What if he couldn’t control himself? What if Arthur couldn’t? 

And that was why Merlin Emrys, 18-year old gay disaster, was sitting in the game circle with more tension than a horse when it sees a paper bag. Arthur was across from him, seemingly completely relaxed. Of course he wasn’t thinking about the consequences. He was Arthur, after all. 

The game they were playing at the moment was a combination of Truth or Dare and Spin the Bottle. Someone would Spin the Bottle, and whoever it landed on would have to quickly think of a Truth to admit or a Dare to do within ten seconds. Otherwise, they’d have to kiss the person who had spun it. Needless to say, Merlin had good reason to be stressed out. They were about to start the game, and from the malicious glint in Gwen’s eyes, he just knew that she was the one who had suggested it. 

The other counsellors weren’t bothered, of course. Gwaine and Elyan were dating, and Percival and Leon didn’t really get flustered by this type of thing. Merlin was in his own personal circle of hell. 

“Alright,” Leon said cheerfully, “who wants to start?” 

“Why not give it to the newbie?” Elyan suggested. 

Merlin felt his stomach drop. Dammit, Elyan! 

Arthur shook his head. “No, please. I need to watch a few rounds before I learn the rules.” 

“Alright, then.” Leon peered around at each of them, then settled on giving it to Merlin. “The new head counsellor should have the first turn.” 

Thank god, Merlin thought. He’d played enough to know exactly how to spin the bottle so that it wouldn’t land on the wrong person. He could handle this, easy. Merlin took the traditional water bottle (left behind by an old camper) and spun it quickly, just enough so that it would land on Percival. He was safe with him, he knew. Percival didn’t ever want to make anybody uncomfortable, so whenever he did end up kissing someone, it was usually a quick peck. (Not counting Gwaine last summer). 

Percival thought for a moment, then said, “Truth: I used to take ballet lessons in primary school.” 

There was a great uproar from the group. Gwen grinned and high-fived him, and Gwaine immediately doubled over with laughter at the idea of the 6’4” muscle-bound 19-year old on pointe. Elyan simply smiled and patted Percival on the shoulders, and Leon giggled quietly to himself. Merlin let himself smile. This was the game he liked, where everyone was forced to reveal something embarrassing. 

Arthur laughed loudly. “I used to, as well!” 

Percival’s mouth dropped slightly open. “Really?” 

“Part of being a well-rounded Prince, I suppose.” Arthur beamed as the others cheered, and Merlin softened a bit. He looked more relaxed than he’d seen during the entire summer. 

Once the chaos had died down, Percival spun the bottle. It landed on Gwaine, who instantly got up and shouted, 

“When I was in secondary school, I had an enormous crush on Blaine from Glee!” 

The group fell into fits of laughter at the idea of a young Gwaine thirsting after Darren Criss. Gwaine happily took the bottle and spun it quickly. It landed on Gwen, who thought for a moment before getting to her feet and dancing a quick Irish jig. There was great applause. Gwen was actually quite a brilliant dancer. Gwen smiled, cheeks flushed with the exertion, and spun the bottle. 

It landed on Leon, who admitted quietly, “I used to fancy Kate Middleton.” 

Arthur’s mouth fell open with such shock and amusement that everyone was immediately sent into another bout of giggling. 

“That’s my aunt!” He cried, and everyone laughed even harder. Merlin himself was doubled over with silent laughter, tears in the corners of his eyes. God, how he had missed this during his first year at uni. This was his family. 

Leon spun the bottle. It landed on Elyan, who sprang to his feet and, without missing a beat, rapped the entirety of ‘Super Bass’ by Nicki Minaj word-for-word. The entire group was crying laughing by the time he was done, and Gwaine clapped wildly for his boyfriend. Merlin giggled at Elyan’s slight blush when Gwaine leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. This party was absolutely brilliant. 

Elyan spun the bottle, and it landed on Arthur, who leaned in conspiratorially and whispered, 

“You know the episode with Irene Adler in BBC Sherlock?” 

Everyone nodded, and Arthur yelled gleefully, “It was based on true events!” 

This sent everyone into a menagerie of shocked shouts and whoops and hollers, so loud that Merlin was sure that one of the kids must’ve woken up. Arthur gleefully took the bottle and spun it, and, of course, because god bloody hated him, it landed on Merlin. 

Merlin tried to think of something. He really, really did. But all that was coming to mind was, ‘shit shit shit shit shit!!!!!!’ Soon enough, the ten seconds were up, and Gwaine announced it to everyone with an ear-piercing wolf whistle. Across from him, Arthur’s face turned a deep red, and Elyan laughed. Merlin felt his heart pounding in his chest. He’d played this game for years! Why hadn’t he been able to think of something. 

“Go on, get it over with,” Percival smiled. “I promise Merlin’s not quite as bad as he looks.” 

Merlin flipped him the bird, and Arthur shrugged in a ‘fuck it’ sort of gesture and leaned in. 

Their lips met a bit messily, considering the situation, but Merlin couldn’t deny the roar in his ears and the fire that sprang up in his stomach. Merlin almost forgot himself and kissed back, but Arthur quickly pulled away, and that was the end of that. At least he didn’t have to worry about that anymore. 

But, two hours later, when Merlin still felt his stomach drop when he thought about the kiss, he knew he had something new to worry about. 

\---

Arthur couldn’t stop thinking about it. 

The rest of the night had been one of laughter and chaos and the occasional quiet, deep moment, but that one tiny spark in the middle of a roaring fire …that was what he was thinking about. That kiss with Merlin. Had it been his imagination, or would Merlin have kissed him back if he hadn’t pulled away? He desperately wanted to know. And then there was the way something in him lit up the minute their lips had met. It hadn’t been even remotely like the kisses at the pub. It had been quick and chaste, and it had left Arthur wanting more. 

Arthur rolled over in his bed to look at Merlin. The dark-haired boy was fast asleep, covers tucked under his chin and feet just barely poking out from underneath. Arthur smiled a little. He couldn’t explain it, but whenever he looked at Merlin, something in him melted. It was like…well, Merlin made him feel like a normal person. He loved it. Arthur sighed and quietly tiptoed out of the cabin. There was no getting sleep at this rate. Silently, he crept out to the dock and dialled Morgana. As always, she answered after three rings. 

“Arthur?” She had clearly woken up to answer him, and he felt a bit bad. “What’s wrong?” 

“Nothing, Morgana. Well, actually-“ Arthur took a deep breath, and he felt Morgana’s eyes on him through the phone, waiting patiently. “You know that boy I made out with?” 

“You mean the one that’s the reason I’m not sneaking ice cream from the freezer with you right now? Yeah, Arthur, I’m pretty sure I remember him.” Morgana said, lightly teasing. 

“Yeah, well…he’s the head counsellor at the camp.” Arthur said. 

Morgana’s mouth dropped open on the other end of the line. “You’re kidding.” 

“I’m not.” Arthur responded. This situation really was absolutely insane. 

Morgana let out a disbelieving laugh. “What a way to turn the tables back on Uther, huh?” 

Arthur huffed out a small chuckle. “Yeah, really.” 

“So what’s happening with him?” Morgana asked, and Arthur could practically hear the wheels turning in her head. “Are you two a couple?” 

“What?” Even in the dark, Arthur knew his face had turned a bit red. “No, we’re not a couple.” 

“Why not?” 

Arthur sighed. “That’s part of what I wanted to talk to you about.” 

“Ah.” Morgana nodded slightly. “You’ve caught feelings for him, haven’t you?” 

Arthur groaned. He didn’t like it when she put it like that, but she wasn’t exactly wrong. “Yeah.” 

“Oh, Arthur,” Morgana grimaced. “Uther’s going to kill you.” 

“Thanks, ‘Gana,” Arthur muttered sarcastically. “That really helps.” 

Morgana shrugged. “It’s not like you didn’t know that already. That’s beside the point anyway. Do you think he likes you back?” 

“I’m not sure. I think he might have a thing with the cook here.” Arthur frowned at the thought. He was no competition with Gwen, he knew. The girl was sweet, kind, and had a courageous streak that he deeply admired. It was impossible not to like her. 

“What’s her name?” Morgana asked. 

“Gwen, I’m pretty sure. I think it’s short from some old-timey name like Genevieve or Ginevra or-“ 

“Guinevere?” Morgana said, and her tone changed so quickly from inquisitive to nervous that Arthur nearly got whiplash. 

Arthur raised an eyebrow at her. “…yes. How did you know?” 

Morgana blushed a deep scarlet. “Er…” 

“Morgana,” Arthur said, in a way that assured he wasn’t going to take any excuses. 

Morgana sighed and ran a hand through her hair. “During the year, she’s one of the metalworkers at that jewellery store I’m so fond of in London. One day, I was buying these gorgeous ruby drop earrings, and she slipped me her number with the box they came in. I texted her, and one thing led to another.” 

“Oh my god.” Arthur stared at her. How many insane coincidences were going to happen to him this year? “You’re dating Gwen Smith.” 

Morgana winced a little. “Yeah.” 

“And I thought Father was going to kill me.” Arthur laughed, and Morgana gave a little frightened nod. 

“I know. We’re both dead if he finds out,” she said, and Arthur couldn’t help but think of the field day the journalists would have with this if they found out. Then, he realised something. 

“Wait. So, if you’re dating Gwen, then that means-“ 

“She and Merlin aren’t a couple.” Morgana grinned. “I think you’ve got a good chance, Arthur.” 

“Are you serious?” Arthur looked at her incredulously. “Father would literally disown me.” 

“He doesn’t need to know. Think about it, Arthur! You’re stuck at this camp for two more months, far away from Uther and the paparazzi. You can do what you want. And hey, if things go further than that, I’ve got a few tips and tricks about keeping secrets from the King of Camelot that might help you out.” Morgana said with a smirk. 

Arthur was about to protest, but she did have a point. His father would have no idea exactly what he was doing at Camp Camelot. He could very well make a move on Merlin without even fearing for his ‘royal reputation’. He could be free to do whatever he pleased for two whole months of his life. 

He could be with Merlin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is definitely my favourite that I've written so far. I loved coming up with the little Truths and Dares for the group to do. I also especially loved giving Morgana an appearance. She's one of my favourite characters, and I really love the idea of her being the supportive and rebellious big sister. 
> 
> As always, thank you for reading!


	9. You Like Flowers?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur tries to think up ways to woo Merlin. 
> 
> It doesn't quite go as planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Snakes

Ok, so maybe “being with Merlin” was easier said than done. It had been a week since Arthur’s conversation with Morgana, and he’d been trying to drop subtle hints that he was into Merlin. Or at least, what he thought was subtle. He had written a list of all the things he was going to try: 

1\. Playful Banter! That he could certainly do. 

That one started with a few friendly jabs at Merlin, like “you never fail to surprise me” after Merlin broke three dishes in the kitchen by falling right into the dishwasher. He’d tried a few other attempts to, like when Merlin lost his sunscreen and Arthur joked that he could barely find his own backside half of the time. At that, Merlin had glared at him and called him a “clotpole.” 

Clot-pole? Was that even a real word? 

2\. Hanging Out with Merlin as Often as Possible. This one would ensure that Merlin knew he was interested, since he was with him all the time. 

That one went fairly well, until Merlin noticed how often he was following him around asked him if he also wanted to watch him pee. Arthur had felt so embarrassed that he had spent thirty minutes in Gwaine, Elyan, Percival, and Leon’s cabin lamenting his own existence. The five teenagers had become increasingly close, ever since the counsellor party. After all, you couldn’t very well not be friends with someone after learning that they fancied your aunt. 

3\. Try to Subtly Ask if He was With Anyone. That wasn’t the best. 

What Arthur thought was subtle, Gwen thought was jealous. After Merlin had hung out with Percival for an hour or two at the lake, Arthur had ended up blurting out “you’re limping, I see. Have fun with Percival?” As it turned out, Merlin (the clumsy idiot) had tripped over a rock and fell face-first into the lake. There was a slight possibility that Gwen was right about the jealousy. After Merlin had jokingly offered Elyan some flowers he’d found in the forest, Arthur had stormed back to his cabin. When Merlin came in to see what he was doing, Arthur had asked, like a complete moron, where his flowers were. Yeah…that one was a bust. 

4\. Ask Merlin to Help him with Things. This one ended horribly. 

Arthur had tried it once when he asked Merlin to polish his fencing sword, and Merlin had nearly run him through with it. Fail. 

Finally, after almost a month of Arthur’s pitiful attempts to woo the head counsellor, Gwen and the other counsellors had to stage an intervention. Now, Arthur was sitting in the Arts and Crafts cabin, at the head of a round table made by one of the students and surrounded by the others. 

“You could try reading him poetry,” Leon suggested. Arthur groaned and let his head fall onto the table.   
Gwaine rolled his eyes. “Please, Merlin doesn’t like that mushy stuff. Take the boy out for a drink. It’s not that hard.” 

Arthur lifted his head from the table to glare at Gwaine. “I’d rather not have a repeat of the pub incident, Gwaine.” 

The brunette sighed and shrugged. “To each their own, I guess.” 

“You could try talking to him,” Percival suggested. The entire table looked at him incredulously, and he let out a disgruntled huff and went quiet. 

Elyan thought for a moment. “What if you gave him something? If it goes wrong, you could just say it was meant to be for him as a friend.” 

Now that wasn’t a bad idea. Arthur leaned in closer to the group. “Like what?” 

The group looked around at the room. There were a few clay statues, a woven grass basket, and crocheted-

“Flowers!” Gwen said. “That’s perfect. There are plenty all over the camp, they won’t be hard to find.” 

Arthur grinned. She was right, it was perfect. Everyone loved flowers, as far as he knew. That was what he would do. Arthur and the group high fived, and the prince was out the door and running to the forest. 

Merlin wouldn’t know what hit him. 

\---

Merlin checked his watch. He had about an hour before dinner started, and he was going to take a walk in the forest. That left him a forty-five minute walk at least. Merlin smiled. He loved the forest. It made him feel at home, with the scent of the pine, the birds flying and chirping overhead, and the sound of-

“AHHHHH!” 

Merlin stopped in his tracks. Now, that wasn’t normal. The scream had come from his right, so he ran in that direction. Maybe one of the kids had been stung by a bee. It wasn’t uncommon. Merlin stumbled through the woods, over rocks and huge fallen trees, straight to a field of wildflowers. At the other end of the field, Arthur was backed up into a tree, looking terrified for his life. Merlin squinted. There didn’t appear to be anything wrong. Just then, there was a loud hiss from Arthur’s direction, and Merlin felt his blood run cold. That was an adder snake. They’d had a seminar about them before camp began. They were venomous, and though they weren’t totally deadly, they could cause a horrible inflammation. 

Merlin crept closer, trying to keep quiet so as not to alert the snake to his location. The snake was coiled, ready to strike. Arthur had one hand outstretched to block it, and the other was holding a handful of wildflowers. Bit weird, but Merlin wasn’t too focused on that at the moment. Merlin scanned his surroundings. He didn’t want to kill the snake, but if he had to it was probably a good idea to find a weapon as fast as possible. There was a large rock a few feet away. Merlin scurried towards it quickly and grabbed it, now making his way towards the snake from the back. Hopefully it wouldn’t hear him coming. 

Arthur glanced up from the creature. His eyes widened as he saw Merlin, rock in hand and advancing on the snake. 

“Don’t move,” Merlin mouthed, and Arthur nodded. 

The snake slithered a slight bit closer to the prince, and Arthur let out a small whimper. Merlin grimaced and silently weighed the options. Kill the snake, or risk getting the camp shut down by the king because his son was injured. It should have been an easy choice, but Merlin really hated hurting animals. Arthur stared at him, eyebrows raised and eyes wide. 

“What are you waiting for?” He whispered. 

Merlin shook his head silently and crept closer. Arthur kept his eyes on the snake, who was now poised to strike. It let out a hiss of fury, and several things happened at once. 

Merlin lunged forward with the rock, Arthur shrieked and kicked a leg out at the creature, and the snake bit the sole of the prince’s boot. 

Merlin let out a yelp and grabbed a fallen branch nearby. Arthur was making a weird hyperventilating noise, and the snake was seemingly having difficulty prying its jaws off of the thick boot. Merlin rushed forward, gently picked up the snake with the stick, and promptly chucked it off into the wilderness. Quickly, he and the prince sprinted out of the woods, only stopping for breath when they had reached the edge of the camp. Merlin immediately grabbed Arthur by the shoulder, forcing him to look him in the eye. 

“Did it bite you?” He asked urgently. 

Arthur shook his head. “Just my boot. It didn’t touch my foot.”

Merlin sighed in relief. No lawsuits. Thank god. Then, just as quickly as he’d thrown the snake, his panic and concern turned into anger. 

“What were you even doing out there, messing with a snake?” He cried. 

Arthur looked at him incredulously. “I didn’t intend to mess with the snake, Merlin.” 

“Then what were you doing?” Merlin yelled. There was an odd feeling in his ribcage. He didn’t like the idea of Arthur getting hurt, for some reason. It filled him with a protectiveness that he wasn’t familiar with. It scared him a bit. 

Arthur’s cheeks turned a light pink. “Er…” 

“Come on, out with it.” Merlin said. Arthur glanced down at his hand, and it was only then that he realised that he was still holding the bunch of wildflowers. 

“I was picking some flowers, and I almost picked up the snake by accident. I didn’t see it.” Arthur muttered sheepishly. 

Merlin sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “What business did you have picking flowers?” 

The light pink on Arthur’s cheeks turned a bright red. “I-um. Well. Here.” 

The prince ducked his head and shoved the flowers at Merlin. Merlin stared at him. “What are these for?” 

“You. They’re for you,” Arthur whispered. 

Oh. Merlin blinked. He hadn’t been expecting that, not remotely. Gently, he took the flowers from him and nodded at him. 

“They’re pretty,” he said awkwardly, and he couldn’t stop himself from smiling. Arthur had been picking flowers for him. Merlin. Out of all the things he thought would happen today, that hadn’t been on the list. 

Arthur gave him a thumbs-up. “Good.” 

“Right.” There was a warm feeling growing in Merlin’s stomach as he looked upon the nervous prince. Without even expecting himself to do so, he lurched forward and pulled Arthur into an abrupt hug. A small gasp came from the blonde, and Merlin grinned. 

“Thank you,” he whispered. He released Arthur, who looked as though he’d seen a ghost. He cleared his throat and nodded. 

“Of course. Anything for you, Merlin,” he said lightly, smiling awkwardly. 

Merlin held back a giggle that the prince definitely wouldn’t appreciate. Arthur nodded again and jogged towards the mess hall. The head counsellor could see him shake his head as he ran away, and the warm feeling grew even stronger. 

Before Merlin ate dinner that night, he put the flowers on his nightstand in a vase full of fresh water. 

Maybe Arthur wasn’t so bad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, the chapter title is a Bee Movie reference. I have no shame. 
> 
> This chapter was hilariously delightful to write! I am personally terrified of snakes, but I did some research, and my original plan of having it be a bear wouldn't work in England. If you've never picked up a snake and thrown it with a stick, you've never known true fear. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	10. Oh my God, they were Tentmates...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin, Arthur, and the gang go on a camping trip. Arthur and Merlin share a tent. Cuddling ensues.

That weekend was the annual camping trip The Valley of Kings.

This had been Merlin’s favourite part of going to Camp Camelot since he was a child. Every year, they would set on a day long hike to the Valley, then eat a usually amazing dinner with plenty of s’mores and go to sleep in two-person tents. If they could even get sleep, that was. Usually everyone was too excited for the next day, which involved a trip to the nearby Druid village, where they got to shop for souvenirs and learn about the place’s history. Then they went back to their camp, slept, and walked back to camp. The excitement of the Druid village never failed to amaze Merlin. The people were pagan, and he had felt an inexplicable calling to their beliefs as long as he’d been going to camp. 

And this time around, Merlin was even more excited. He’d pulled a few strings with Gaius, and this year he was sharing a tent with Arthur. After the flower/snake incident, Merlin’s feelings of attraction (both physically and emotionally) had been growing stronger and stronger by the day. Every time he looked at the prince, his heart started racing and that warm feeling in his stomach appeared immediately. So, if he could spend more time with him in his favourite place on earth…well, he wasn’t going to complain. 

At the moment, they were walking through the forest, leading the kids along the long trail from the camp to the Valley. Arthur was beside him, with the other counsellors in the back. Merlin took a deep inhale. The forest smelled absolutely wonderful. It had rained yesterday, and some of that slightly metallic scent was still hanging about the air. There was also, as always, a hint of pine, and-

Merlin sniffed. There was something different this time. A bit floral, with a hint of something that might have been rosemary. He glanced at Arthur. The prince was walking along, peacefully carrying their things in a backpack. The smell was definitely coming from him. Not that it was a bad smell. In fact, Merlin quite liked it. It certainly suited a prince. Nonetheless, the idea of wearing cologne in the middle of a forest was laughable, and Merlin suppressed a giggle. He was quite certain that Arthur wouldn’t appreciate it. 

They came to a fork in the road, and Merlin led the group down the right path. Both of the trails led to the same place, but the right one was a bit shorter, and had a very nice view of a waterfall. That was where they could rest and take their lunch. After marching on for about fifteen more minutes, Merlin finally stopped the group at a little clearing by the waterfall. 

“Alright everyone, lunch time! Get out the bags Gwen packed you.” 

There was rustling and murmurs as the kids sat down and got out their lunches. Gwen had packed each of them a simple ham and cheese (or tomato and cheese) sandwich, with an apple and a Jammie Dodger. How she’d managed to sneak those into camp, Merlin didn’t know, but he was very impressed. Merlin took a seat on a particularly soft patch of grass and took a bite of his sandwich. As always, Gwen had added the tiniest bit of mustard for him. Mustard was an extremely popular condiment at Camp Camelot, and that was why the dab she’d placed between the layers of cheese and tomato was so small. If the kids saw that Merlin had received mustard and they hadn’t, there would be a riot. 

Next to him, Arthur had somehow already managed to finish his ham and cheese sandwich. Now, he was crunching on an apple with a napkin in hand. That was fairly odd for the prince. He wasn’t usually as self-conscious about eating when he was with the other counsellors. Maybe he thought that Merlin would laugh at him if he spilled something. Admittedly, Merlin would, but not before fondly wiping the item off of Arthur’s face, and then leaning in, and-

Whoa, Merlin. Slow your roll. Just because he got you flowers doesn’t mean he likes you. It could’ve just been a friendly thing. 

Merlin quickly pushed thoughts of kissing the Prince of England out of his mind, and soon enough they were back on the trail. They trudged along for another four or five hours. Finally, after they were all fully exhausted, they arrived at their campsite. Merlin, Arthur, and the other counsellors speedily aided the kids in putting up tents while Gwen and Percival prepared the hot dogs (and vegetable kebabs) for dinner. Gwaine made a fire with such ease that Merlin wouldn’t be surprised if he was secretly half-dragon. After a very nice dinner with lots of singing and joking around, they were finally permitted to sleep. 

Conveniently, Merlin forgot about their current situation. He blushed fiercely as he crawled into the tent, extremely grateful for the cover of night. This was going to be the closest he and Arthur had ever been. The prince crawled in after him and laid down in his sleeping bag. He and Merlin said a chaste, “goodnight”, and within seconds, Arthur was fast asleep. Merlin sighed and turned over. Arthur now smelled of woodsmoke, rosemary, and the floral-y stuff, and it was intoxicating. What had made him think he could take two nights of this? 

He really should’ve thought this through. 

\---

Arthur woke up with a head of black hair snuggled into his chest. He froze immediately. From the voices quietly chatting outside, he knew that the other counsellors were awake. Soon enough, they would have to come and wake them up, and when that happened he would be in for a world of embarrassment. 

Next to him, Merlin was sleeping with his whole body pressed against Arthur’s side. One of his arms was splayed across Arthur’s chest, and his ankle was crossing over Arthur’s legs. He had no idea how Merlin had somehow untangled himself from his sleeping bag in the night, but either way it had resulted in this. A small head counsellor sighing contentedly and pressing his nose into Arthur’s chest. 

Oh, Arthur desperately wanted to run a hand through Merlin’s waves. He couldn’t, though. It would be improper, considering Merlin had shown no sign of interest in him. He had really thought that the flowers would work, but it appeared not. There had been no flirting. No sly smiles. No winks, even! It was frustrating, to say the least. Arthur was about to give in and go back to sleep when Gwaine zipped open their tent. 

The expression on his face was priceless. He grinned cheekily at Arthur, mouth open and ready to speak. Arthur widened his eyes at him, trying desperately to communicate for him to shut up and go away. 

As it was Gwaine, it didn’t work. 

“Good morning, sleepyheads!” The Irish boy cried out loudly. Arthur groaned, and Merlin’s eyes opened blearily. Arthur felt his heart twist as Merlin looked about the tent in sleepy confusion. Then, his eyes met the prince’s, and Arthur could instantly feel Merlin’s pulse pick up the pace. 

“Come on now, up and at ‘em! We’ve got a big day ahead of us, after all, boys! I’m sure you’d like to stay cuddled up like that for as long as possible, but I’m afraid,” Gwaine teased, voice full of mocking pity, “that that simply can’t happen. My deepest apologies.” 

Arthur glared at him. With a laugh, the fencing instructor was gone. Merlin stared up at Arthur, apology on the tip of his tongue. Arthur shrugged at him. 

“No big deal, Merlin. It happens to everyone, I’m sure.” He said, tone as light and uncaring as possible. Before the other boy could reply, he grabbed his clothes and raced out of the tent to go change. The other counsellors laughed at him as he passed (because they were arseholes). Arthur went to go change behind a tree, face flushed red. 

Merlin’s pace had picked up when he saw him. Whether out of shock, anxiety, or…something else, Arthur didn’t know, but perhaps there was still hope for him. 

He wasn’t giving up yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, these two. They really are such messes. The next chapter is very fun, but be warned! Things will start to get angsty soon. 
> 
> Thank you for reading!


	11. Get in Druids, we're Going Shopping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur and Merlin visit the Druid marketplace.

After Camp Camelot, the Druid market was Merlin’s favourite place in the world. Everywhere, there were people milling about and selling breads, spices, and other little trinkets that the kids loved. The whole place was open-air, arranged right under the forest canopy in a little clearing by the river. It smelled like pine, clay, and different herbs that wafted pleasantly through the air and made Merlin take a deep inhale. 

The kids seemed to be enjoying it just as much. Merlin had sent them off in groups of five to shop for souvenirs and talk to the Druids about their history. He knew no harm would come to them. The Druids were kind, trustworthy people. There was nothing to fear here at this market, and Merlin finally relaxed. 

Next to him, however, Arthur seemed to be nothing but nerves. Every time a Druid would pass by them, he would tense up and freeze. If one of them spoke to Merlin, he stayed completely silent until they moved on. After a Druid child came up to speak to them and he acted the exact same, Merlin had to say something. He grabbed Arthur’s hand and pulled him behind a stand selling fresh fruits. The other boy’s pulse was thrumming violently in his wrist. 

“What is wrong with you today?” Merlin whispered. 

Arthur sighed. “Look, I know you trust the Druids, but my father-“ 

“What about him?” Merlin hissed. Of course Uther was the one inadvertently ruining the day. 

“He-“ Arthur glanced around nervously. “He thinks that Druids are savages that want our family dead. Especially me.” 

Ah, so Uther was not only homophobic, but biased against different religious groups. Merlin fought back an eye roll. This was Arthur’s father, after all. Just because he was a damned idiot didn’t mean he could just go insulting him directly to the prince’s face. 

Merlin took a deep breath. “Arthur, your father is wrong about them. Just as he was wrong about you. They’re perfectly kind and wonderful people; there’s nothing to be afraid of.” 

Arthur nodded. “I know. I shouldn’t be this way. It’s just hard for me to get my father’s words out of my head. Every time I look around, I can hear him yelling at me for even daring to come here.” 

Merlin felt a spark of anger somewhere in his ribcage. He swore, if he ever met the king, he was going to give him a talking-to. And maybe a few wisely-timed insults. As well as a nice punch here and there. 

“I understand. But I need you to at least try and be friendly towards them. You’ll never get over your father’s words if you’re always freezing up whenever they talk to you.” Merlin squeezed Arthur’s hand gently. He hadn’t realised he never let go of it. “Please. For me.” 

That last part wasn’t supposed to come out. Merlin felt his face heat.   
Arthur’s eyes widened fractionally, but he stepped closer and squeezed Merlin’s hand in return.   
“I will, Merlin. I promise.” 

Merlin’s stomach flipped at the sincerity in his eyes. He smiled at the prince and led him back to the market. Hopefully, it would be a bit better this time. 

And if he conveniently ‘forgot’ to let go of Arthur’s hand, no one needed to know. 

\---

Arthur and Merlin next stopped at a stand where an older Druid woman was selling necklaces. They were absolutely beautiful, woven from single strands of metal that seemed to glow under the sunlight. If Arthur was a more suspicious person, he might have believed that they were magical. They certainly looked it. 

When they reached the stand, the Druid woman smiled when she saw Merlin. “Hello, Emrys.” 

Arthur’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Why was she calling him that? Was it his last name? 

Merlin didn’t seem bothered. He smiled back and greeted her with a, “Hello, Miss Alannah.” 

Alannah turned to look at Arthur. He fidgeted a little. The woman’s gaze was piercing and focused. It was almost as if she was trying to read his mind. He wouldn’t have been surprised if she could. Alannah nodded (almost in approval, Arthur thought) and turned back to Merlin with a knowing smirk. 

“Is this your lover?” She said, not even trying to keep quiet. 

If Arthur had been drinking water, he would’ve choked on it for sure. Next to him, Merlin looked down at their still intertwined hands and back up at Alannah. Arthur guessed that it would make sense to assume, considering their current position. 

Merlin gently pulled his hand away from the prince’s. “Er, no, Alannah. He’s just a friend.” 

Alannah raised an eyebrow and leaned closer to Arthur. It seemed as though she was scanning him; like she was searching for something. Arthur resisted the urge to back away. It didn’t seem like a good idea. 

“Hmm,” she murmured, and glanced back at Merlin. “Are you sure he feels that way?” 

Arthur felt his face turn scarlet and his stomach drop. Jesus Christ! Was this woman really about to tell Merlin? He was waiting for the right time! 

Merlin laughed awkwardly. “I’m sure, Alannah.” 

The woman shrugged and picked up a few of her necklaces. “If you say so. If you don’t mind, I’m going to try and trade these for Peter’s acorn buttons next door. You boys feel free to look around.” 

And with that, she was gone. (Though she did throw Arthur one last judgemental look before she made her leave). 

Merlin sighed and gave Arthur an apologetic look. “I’m sorry about her. She’s rather nosy.” 

“It’s alright,” Arthur said, doing his best to look as though it didn’t bother him. “My sister’s the same way.” 

The two stood in silence for a few moments, looking at Alannah’s necklaces. There was one with a gold dragon that Arthur couldn’t help but mentally connect with Merlin. Something about the other boy irresistibly reminded him of the magical creature. Why, he didn’t know. The necklace seemed to glow and sparkle when Arthur held it, almost as though it knew his intentions and wanted him to buy it for him. Arthur considered it. It would be obvious how he felt if he did give it to Merlin, but maybe that wouldn’t be so bad. 

Just then, Alannah returned with acorn buttons in hand and necklaces gone. She spotted Arthur eyeing the dragon and smirked. 

She leaned in and whispered, “Something caught your eye?” 

Arthur glanced over at Merlin. “I want it to be a surprise.” 

“Don’t worry, your highness.” Alannah, swift as the wind, tied the necklace up in a plain drawstring bag and handed it to Arthur, who quickly pocketed it. 

“Here,” he said. He took out 20 pounds from his wallet, but she held out a hand in protest. 

“I don’t ask for payment.” 

“But-“ Arthur started. 

Alannah simply shook her head. “I only ask for a promise.” 

Arthur looked at her in confusion. “And what might that be?” 

She grinned. “That you’ll actually give it to him before the summer’s over.” 

Arthur nodded sternly. “I will.” 

“Good.” She smiled at him. “Alright then boys, off you go! I think one of those kids is trying to haggle with Deidre over there.” 

Merlin laughed and gave Alannah a quick hug. “I’ll see you next year, Alannah.” 

“And you, Emrys.” She said lightly. 

Arthur and Merlin walked away from the stand towards the kids, though that wasn’t what Arthur was focused on. He didn’t give his word lightly. 

He’d made a promise, and he intended to keep it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so I've already finished the fic, and I can't make myself wait to post the rest of it. Get ready to do a lot of reading! 
> 
> This chapter was particularly fun to write. I loved writing Alannah's little sly remarks towards Arthur. I also thought it was important to include a bit of Uther's hatred towards the Druids, just to make sure that it didn't stray too far from the original story. 
> 
> As always, thanks for reading!


	12. Visiting Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The royal family visits camp.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Homophobia, Slight Injury (to Merlin)

Arthur was nervous. 

No, not nervous. He was terrified. It was 5 A.M. on Saturday morning, and in a few hours, his father and his sister would arrive at camp. He didn’t have to worry about Morgana. She already knew what had been going on with his feelings for Merlin (and he was sure that she’d be happy to see Gwen). But his father was different. He had no idea, and if he recognised Merlin…

There would be hell to pay. Arthur wasn’t a fool. He knew his father wasn’t the kindest, most loving person. In fact, he was the opposite. He was cruel and judgemental, and he hated it when anyone spoke out against him. Not for the first time, Arthur desperately wished the monarchy was elected. He didn’t want his father’s views to have any hold or place in the media. And now he was coming to camp. Part of him had prayed that Uther would have some sort of business to attend to that would prevent him from visiting, but of course he didn’t. The universe clearly hated him. 

He knew the kids would be excited to see the king, and that was a bit comforting. He’d already had several of them ask for his autograph. Arthur knew that Uther would be kind to the children, but that wasn’t what he was worried about. 

If Uther recognised Merlin, he would be furious. There would be shouting and fighting and possible lawsuits, and this camp that Arthur had grown to love so much could be uprooted and tossed in a bin. He didn’t want the camp to be a casualty, and he especially didn’t want Merlin to get hurt. Arthur hated being in the middle. (Which, with Morgana as his ‘sister’ and Uther as his father, happened a lot). Even though he knew Uther’s approval wasn’t something to look for, he still desperately wanted it. He’d spent his entire life trying to impress his father. He would be so disappointed in him when he inevitably defended Merlin. 

In the other bed, Merlin murmured something and turned over in his sleep. Arthur felt his heart swell a bit. This was a special thing, he knew, to share a cabin with Merlin. He couldn’t have asked for a better way to spend his summer. What had begun as a punishment now seemed like a privilege. If his father discovered that that was how he felt, he would surely make him leave camp. Arthur didn’t want that. He had made friends here, who actually saw him as a person instead of a key to something they wanted. He couldn’t let Uther take him away. 

Arthur sighed and tried to go back to sleep. He’d have enough stress to deal with when morning came. There was no point in extending his own misery. 

\---

The camp was crowded. 

Swarms of family members were at the entrance, greeting their children with laughter and tears and eagerly asking how their summer had been so far. Morgana, standing in a corner with Uther and Agravaine, envied them. She knew that there would be no cheerful greeting when they saw Arthur. There would be an assessment of how he was faring, and whether he’d learned his lesson or not. Morgana knew that he would never learn his lesson. It wasn’t a lesson he should learn. 

Next to her, Uther scoffed at the crowds. “Shouldn’t they know to make way for the prince? These people have no respect.” 

Morgana just nodded and said, “yes, my lord.” Just as she had been doing all her life. She may have been the king’s ward, but it didn’t mean she got the privilege to speak out. Neither did Arthur. 

Agravaine, that absolutely pathetic weasel of a man, sneered in agreement. Morgana wanted to punch him. She also, more than anything at the moment, wanted to see Gwen. It had been months since they talked to each other in person. Her father, being clueless, would think that they were friends. Thank god for double standards. Morgana discreetly lifted her head higher, searching for brown skin and curly black hair. All she saw was a flash of gold hair in the light. It was Arthur, of course. Morgana fought the urge to grimace. The visit was about to begin. 

Within minutes, Arthur had made his way to them. Morgana smiled broadly when she saw him. Even though she knew he was happier here, she still missed him. He was like a brother to her, and the palace got lonely. Selfishly, a part of her wished that he could come with them. She was sick of being stuck in her rooms all day just to avoid Uther. 

Arthur stood before his father and bowed. “Hello, father.” 

“Arthur.” Uther inclined his head a little. Morgana tried her best not to roll her eyes. She understood that he was frustrated with his son, but would it kill him to treat Arthur well? The boy craved his attention and validation. He never gave it as much as he should. 

“Come, Arthur,” Agravaine said, “show us around your little camp.” 

Arthur attempted a smile. “Of course.” 

As they walked among the cabins and the groups of people, Morgana couldn’t help looking around for Gwen. She seemed to be hidden from sight. Probably because it would be lunchtime soon. Morgana didn’t doubt that her girlfriend would be busy cooking. She smiled a little at the thought. She loved seeing Gwen doing the things she was passionate about. Once, she had spent a day with her at the jeweller’s, and the beam she wore as she worked with the metal was infectious. 

“I trust this has been sufficient punishment for your behaviour, Arthur?” The king asked smoothly. 

Arthur nodded. “Yes, father.” 

“Good.” Uther smiled approvingly. Morgana felt sick. 

Up ahead, she spotted a lanky boy with a mop of black hair walking towards them. Was that-? Morgana glanced over at Arthur. Based on the barely-concealed panic in his eyes, it was. 

The royal family was about to meet Merlin. 

\---

Instantly, Merlin liked Morgana. 

The girl took a slightly protective stance whenever Uther spoke to Arthur, and he knew that she was prepared to fight for the prince. Merlin could see why Gwen was dating her. (Yes, Arthur had told him about that). At the moment, though, he had much bigger things to focus on. He and the royal family were in Gaius’s cabin, Uther towering over Merlin as he stood behind Gaius’s desk. Arthur was behind him, looking absolutely terrified. Agravaine, the smug bastard, was smiling. 

Gaius was off helping with Visiting Day. Otherwise, Merlin knew he would be here. The minute Uther had recognised Merlin, a wave of fury had emanated from him. Merlin knew he had to get him out of the public’s sight. That was why they were here, and also why the head counsellor was enduring insults from the bloody King of England. 

“You selfish boy! You’ve rigged this so you can manipulate Arthur to your will. Haven’t you!?” Uther yelled. 

Merlin stared back at him, unflinching. “No. You chose the camp. It’s not my fault I happen to work here.” 

“No. No, Camp Camelot was emailed to me as a suggestion by my attorney. You’re friends with him, aren’t you? You want to seduce my son!” Uther was raging now, eyebrows knitted together in pure anger. 

Merlin’s jaw tightened. “I’ve never met your attorney. And I don’t want to seduce your son. If he had any attraction to me, that would be of his own doing.” 

Uther surged forward and pinned Merlin against the wall. 

“Uther!” Morgana cried, at the same time Arthur yelled “Father!” 

Then, something very strange happened. Merlin felt a strong urge to protect himself and Arthur, to get this king off of him, and Uther stepped back so quickly that it was as if his hand had been burned. 

“What did you just do?” He hissed, eyes wide with a combination of fear and panic. 

“I didn’t do anything.” Merlin said, though he wasn’t quite sure. Something had happened. What, he didn’t know, but it was as if he’d done some kind of…no. That was ridiculous. 

“You’re lying.” Uther moved to get closer, and Merlin involuntarily flinched. 

Arthur jumped between them, one hand pressed against Uther’s chest and the other acting as a barrier between Merlin and the king. 

“Father, please-“ He started, and Uther’s expression turned so furious that Merlin felt a flicker of fear run through him. 

“You will not say a word. You have disrespected our family and yourself with your filthy behaviour. You are coming home instantly, and I will find a more suitable punishment for you,” he spat. 

A dragon roared to life in Merlin’s mind. “Shut up!” 

The entire royal family stopped and turned to him, eyes wide with shock. From behind Agravaine, Merlin saw Morgana smirk. 

Uther’s eyes narrowed. “Excuse me?” 

“I said, shut up. Arthur is not filthy for liking men. If anything, you and your disgustingly hateful behaviour are. You are a cruel, selfish, arrogant king who deserves nothing of anyone but a good kick in the nuts,” Merlin ranted. He was definitely going to die, but he didn’t care. “Arthur is loving, and kind, and wonderful, and the fact that you somehow managed to produce him is a bloody miracle. You should be grateful he doesn’t take after you. Someone needs to rule this kingdom justly, and I can assure you, your majesty, it isn’t you.” 

Uther looked as though he was going to commit a homicide, but just then, Gaius slammed open the door. 

“What the hell is going on here?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, this one was difficult to write. I really do hate Uther in every universe, and as much as I'd like to, I couldn't let Arthur and Merlin have a good time for too long. After all, there must be stakes. I included a Morgana POV section in this chapter because I think it's important to remember that she's not the only one who suffers under Uther. 
> 
> Thank you for reading, and please leave comments about your thoughts. I would love to know them.


	13. Home Sweet Buckingham

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur has been sent home to Buckingham Palace. Merlin, back at camp, practices a bit of magic. 
> 
> Morgana has a plan.

Arthur was grounded for the rest of the summer. He had been ordered to stay in his chambers until university begun. He wasn’t allowed to see anyone except Morgana. Merlin, out there in the woods somewhere, had been forcibly fired from his position as head counsellor in exchange for Uther not shutting down the camp entirely. Leon had been appointed as new head counsellor. 

Just before Arthur had been shoved into the back of the car, he’d pressed the dragon necklace into Merlin’s hand and said goodbye. The look on the other boy’s face wasn’t one that he would soon forget. At least Alannah would be proud of him. It was more than could be said for his father. 

For the moment, Arthur spent his days writing up an account of his time at camp. He didn’t want to forget a single part of it. Despite all of his complaining at the beginning, Arthur desperately missed the place. He wanted the smell of the pine back, the slight rushing noise of the lake’s waves on the shore, the smiles and laughter that his friends had greeted him with. He missed Gwen’s incredible mac and cheese, Gwaine’s teasing, Percival’s whispered snarky comments, Elyan’s renditions of Broadway musicals, and Leon’s silent exasperation with all of them. 

Most of all, he missed Merlin. He hadn’t expected for the boy to change his life so quickly. Every morning, he woke up expecting to see a flash of black hair or a goofy grin, but none came. He wanted to see him panic over the idea of getting sunburned. He wanted to jump in the lake with him on a hot day. He wanted to hold his hand, and kiss his forehead, and whisper how much he missed him. 

Morgana was a comfort. Some days they watched shitty movies and sitcoms, and other days they would sit in silence together. She knew what he was going through. She was incredibly close to being in the same situation with Gwen. 

Arthur attended meals with his father silently. They never spoke, simply ate, got up, and left. The servants must’ve been able to sense what was going on, and they slipped him his favourite sweets under the door when nobody was looking. He was glad for their silent support. It felt good to know that more than one person was on his side. 

The media was having a field day, of course. Somehow the word had gotten out about Arthur’s summer camp excursion, and they were coming up with all sorts of ideas about what had happened to make him get sent in the first place. Plenty of people had connected the dots between the pub incident and camp. His fans were leaving hate comments on all of Uther’s social media, which was actually a bit funny. Nothing like seeing a fairy comment about the king that said “aww you’re so great at ruling…a dictatorship over your son’s love life.” He had even seen a few memes that said, “Uther haters, we ride at dawn!” That at least made him laugh.   
As for Merlin, the paparazzi was trying to track him down. Arthur didn’t really know what was happening, but he was sure that he was still at camp with Gaius. (Head counsellor or not). Someone had written an article speculating about Merlin and Arthur’s relationship, which was frankly ridiculous. They hadn’t even been in a relationship. 

Because Arthur hadn’t told him soon enough. 

That was what stuck with him. If he’d plucked up the courage sooner, they might have had a few happy days or weeks together. Now, they were both isolated in their different corners of their country, all because of his father. Arthur wished he had Merlin’s number. Not that it would matter, of course. Uther had taken his phone away. He had to use his laptop if he wanted to look anything up or attempt to contact people. He found Gwaine’s Instagram, and had tried to DM him, but he knew it was hopeless. Gaius had banned all contact with Arthur for his own safety. (He knew that from Morgana). 

There was also a #freearthurpendragon movement going on Twitter, which the royal family’s publicity reps were desperately trying to stop. After Morgana had posted a selfie with the caption, a #freemorganapendragon movement had started as well. She’d managed to convince Uther that it was a joke. Uther believed anything Morgana said. 

At that exact moment, though, Arthur was lying in bed with Amazon Prime, watching Good Omens and relating a little too much to Aziraphale and Crowley’s situation. He wished that he and Merlin could go to Alpha Centauri. Oh, how he wished it. Just then, Morgana texted him. 

‘I have an idea. Be in your room ASAP.’

This better be good. 

\---

Merlin stared down at the dragon necklace in his hand. It was gorgeous, made of a gold wire that twisted into the shape of a flying dragon and glowed in the sunlight. Right before Arthur left, he’d pressed it into his hand and whispered a goodbye. It had been a month at least, and he still couldn’t stop thinking about it. Even stranger than Arthur’s goodbye was the necklace. Whenever it got closer to his heart, it glowed brighter. Almost as though it was magic. Merlin sighed and put the necklace back down on the nightstand. He had nothing to do. He’d been fired from his job by Uther, Arthur wasn’t around for him to get distracted by, and even though Gwen kept making him his favourite foods, it didn’t help his mood. His life was this camp, and now he couldn’t even do what he loved. That damn king! 

Merlin stared at the plastic cup of water on his dresser. Ever since the incident with Uther’s hand getting burned, he’d been trying to see if he could make something magical happen again. This week’s idea was inspired by ‘Matilda’. Merlin concentrated harder on the cup, willing it to tip over. Nothing happened. Merlin groaned and flopped back onto his bed. His magic only seemed to work when he was feeling a strong emotion. Merlin sat back up and eyed the cup. Maybe if he thought of Arthur, something would happen. 

Merlin glared at the cup as thoughts of Arthur, trapped in his room with only Morgana for company, filled his mind. The best person he’d ever known was stuck in a palace with the same man who had berated him for his attraction to men. He had nowhere to go, nothing to do. Merlin felt a surge of anger fill his mind, and the cup tipped over. 

Merlin stared. Holy shit. He’d actually done it. He ran over to pick up the cup and place it back on the dresser. With luck, he could get really good at this. Maybe he could use it to help Arthur somehow. Just then, his phone rang. He glanced over at the number on the screen. The caller ID said Morgana Pendragon. Merlin’s eyes narrowed. How had she gotten his number? 

Still, he couldn’t resist possible news of Arthur. He picked it up, took a deep breath, and clicked ‘answer’. 

“Merlin! Thank god you picked up.” Morgana’s voice rang metallically in his ears. 

Merlin grimaced and held the phone further away from him. “What’s going on? Is Arthur alright?” 

“Not really. Uther’s had him trapped in his room since he got home,” Morgana answered. 

Merlin growled. Oh, to wrap his hands around that king’s neck- 

“But don’t worry, I have a plan.” Morgana sounded excited now, in a strangely vengeful sort of way. 

Merlin’s ears perked up. “What is it?” 

“You need to go to the media,” she said hurriedly. 

Merlin blinked. “What?” 

“I’m going to as well. You need to tell them all about what happened with Arthur and what Uther said and did to you. If there’s enough public outcry, Arthur and I might be forcibly removed from Buckingham for our safety,” Morgana explained. 

Merlin raised an eyebrow. “Does CPS apply to the royal family?” 

“Yes, Merlin. They’ll probably go send us to live with William and Kate, anyways.” Morgana’s voice was getting a bit shrill with anticipation. “Merlin, please. We can’t live under his roof any longer.” 

“Are you sure this will work?” Merlin asked, though he already knew his answer. It didn’t matter if the odds were zero. Something had to be done. 

“I’m absolutely certain.” 

Merlin bit his lip and thought for a moment. “Alright. I’ll do it.” 

Morgana clapped on the other end. “Yes! I recommend going to The Times. They’re the most reliable. They don’t often print gossip about us, but this is a real scandal. They’ll want to have their hands on it before anyone else.” 

“Yes ma’am.” Merlin quickly packed a bag of clothes and toiletries and headed out the door. 

“I’ll be waiting at their headquarters in London,” Morgana said. “Meet me there.” 

“Will do. Bye.” 

“Good luck, Merlin.” 

“Gaius!” Merlin yelled, “I’m going to London!” 

“What for?” Gaius yelled back. “I need you to get some herbs for me!” 

“That’ll have to wait! I’m saving the Prince and Ward of England!” Merlin cried, and sprinted off to the bus stop. 

This would work. It had to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry, everyone, things will begin to look up soon. 
> 
> Thank you for reading!


	14. Extra! Extra! Read All About it!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We take a quick break from Arthur and Merlin to see the world's reaction to what's happening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Mentions of Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Abuse

“In a truly shocking turn of events, Merlin Balinor, head counsellor at Camp Camelot, has come forward alongside Morgan Pendragon with the true story of what exactly went down with the Prince this summer. He reveals the story in the following clip:” 

The screen transitioned to a video of Merlin, sitting in the headquarters at the Times and looking deeply emotionally distressed. He was wearing a dragon necklace. 

“Arthur told me that he was sent to camp because of what happened with him and I at the pub. In my defence, I didn’t remember anything about it, and he barely did. It was a while before I’d recognised where I’d seen him. According to Arthur, the king was absolutely furious. He sent Arthur to the camp as a way of teaching him a lesson about being attracted to men. I think he wanted Arthur to feel bad about his attraction.” 

The interviewer’s eyes widened on screen. “And that’s what Arthur said?” 

“Yeah. He was really upset about it. For the first few weeks, he hated camp, and I didn’t understand why. It’s my home, you know? But after he told me why he was there, I got it. Camp was a reminder of his father’s homophobia.” Merlin said quietly. 

The interviewer nodded seriously. “That’s tough.” 

“Yeah,” Merlin answered. “It got worse.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“Our camp has a tradition called Visiting Day. The king, his ward, and Lord Agravaine visited the camp. When Uther saw me, he was just so angry. I took him to Gaius’s office, and he yelled insults at me and told me that I was trying to poison his son’s mind. He called Arthur filthy for being attracted to me. And, um…” Merlin paused. 

The interviewer outstretched a hand and gently patted his knee. “It’s ok, you can say it.” 

“I stood up for myself, and Uther pushed me against the wall. It was clear that he wanted to hurt me.” Merlin swallowed. 

The interviewer gasped a little in shock. “That’s crazy.” 

“I know. Not what you’d expect from the king, but it’s true. I yelled at him, and he looked so mad. If Gaius hadn’t stopped him, I don’t know what he would’ve done to me. Or to Arthur.” 

“Do you think Arthur and Morgana are safe with Uther?” 

“No. Especially not Arthur. Right before he left, he gave me this dragon necklace,” at this, Merlin touched the necklace, and the camera zoomed in on it, “and he said goodbye. But the way he said it…it was like he was saying goodbye forever. Do you know what I mean?” 

“Yeah.” 

“I just…” Merlin’s eyes filled with tears. “I don’t want him to get hurt.” 

The interviewer turned around to the cameras. “You can stop filming now, we have enough.” 

The screen went black, and the news reporter turned back to the camera. 

“There you have it, folks. Arthur and Morgana Pendragon are in danger as long as they stay with King Uther. How much longer will we let this go on?” 

At the bottom of the screen, ‘#freearthurpendragon’ and ‘#freemorganapendragon’ flashed. 

\---

Twitter was blowing up: 

User KittyKat89:   
This is insane. #freearthurpendragon #freemorganapendragon

User LightningBolt-Strikes:   
I always knew the king was an ass. This proves it. #freearthurpendragon #freemorganapendragon

User Mommyof2:   
They’re his kids, he can do what he wants. #istandwithutherpendragon

User StrawberryBlondeXX:   
Shut the fuck up dude #freearthurpendragon #freemorganapendragon

User Angela_Coulson33:   
All this time the royal family said they supported gay marriage and now this? They lie in their policies and hurt their children #freearthurpendragon #freemorganapendragon 

User ArthurLuver111:   
Poor Arthur and Merlin. Their love is so tragic T-T #freearthurpendragon #freemorganapendragon #merlinandarthur

User Gwaine-andhis-Sword:  
I’m a counsellor at Camp Camelot. Uther made Gaius fire Merlin #freearthurpendragon #freemorganapendragon #justice #merlinandarthur

User SteponMe-Cumberbatch:   
Are you serious? That is so fucked up #freearthurpendragon #freemorganapendragon #merlinandarthur #kingutherhateclub 

User Gwen_Smith:   
Uther haters, we ride at dawn #freearthurpendragon #freemorganapendragon #kingutherhateclub 

User BlackCr0w:   
The royal family’s lives are none of our business #istandwithutherpendragon

User effoff_liberals:   
Always knew Prince Arthur was a [redacted] #istandwithutherpendragon 

User LeontheLion:   
Guys watch out it’s a clown #freearthurpendragon #freemorganapendragon #kingutherhateclub #itthemovie #pennywise 

Instagram was going crazy as well. Celebrities were posting pictures with #freearthurpendragon and #freemorganapendragon, as well as linking GoFundMe’s for getting the two out of the palace in their bios. 

Tumblr users were, of course, in an uproar: 

420-69:  
Ok but dude could you imagine making out with a random guy and then getting sent to camp as punishment and the guy is the HEAD COUNSELLOR???? I would die lmao poor Arthur 

KC-doesArt:   
Hey guys I made some fanart of Merlin and Arthur if you want to check it out!!! They deserve so much better ugh I hate Uther 

Sapphowasright:   
Yall there’s a rumour going around that Morgana and the cook at that camp are a thing and idk if it’s true but if it is-

Ilovefrogs:   
Don’t be shy, drop the journal entries from camp 

Urmomshouse:   
I’m making dragon necklaces on my Etsy store!! All proceeds go to the #freearthurpendragon and #freemorganapendragon cause 

Woopwooproyalfamily:   
Arthur must’ve seen Merlin at the camp and been like itsfreerealestate.jpg 

ArthurxMerlinforever:   
Could u IMAGINE the chaos if Arthur and Merlin had a royal wedding I would pay good money to see Uther’s face

After about a week of this, it was finally revealed that Arthur and Morgana were being sent to live with Prince William and Kate Middleton. 

“In a statement for the press, the couple said that they held no ill will towards Uther, but were only doing what CPS recommended,” the news reporter announced. “Either way, we’re glad to see that the two Pendragons will be safe. Let us know your thoughts on our Instagram page!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll admit, this one was delightful to write. I loved coming up with the usernames and their comments on the matter. 
> 
> #freearthurpendragon   
> #freemorganapendragon  
> #kingutherhateclub
> 
> Uther haters, we ride at dawn.   
> Thank you for reading!


	15. Gotta Get Back to Camp Camelot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur reunites with Merlin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Yes, that chapter title is a reference to AVPM.)

The second Arthur moved in with Uncle William and Aunt Kate, he and Morgana grabbed one of the cars and were off to camp. The drive seemed to take forever, and Arthur’s heart was pounding fiercely the entire way there. 

What if Merlin wanted nothing to do with him? He wouldn’t blame him, after the fiasco of the past month. Being with a member of the royal family wasn’t exactly easy (or fun, for that matter). There were standards upon rules upon practices, and on top of that there was the pressure of trying to please his family. Plus, there would be media covering him at all times, and if they broke up it wouldn’t exactly be easy to move on. The news would be reporting it for weeks. 

Not that he and Merlin were even together. Arthur was probably getting ahead of himself. That interview where he was crying over Arthur getting hurt could definitely be interpreted as platonic, right? When he had brought it up to Morgana, she had simply given him a look of utter frustration. That didn’t answer his question. Still, Arthur had hope. After all, no one who was just a friend would try and free him and his ‘sister’ from Uther, right? That was a pretty romantic thing to do. 

Then again, it might’ve just been Merlin being polite. Oh, god. Arthur didn’t know what to think. By the time they arrived at camp, he had worked himself into such a worried state that he could barely breathe.   
Morgana, seeing his distress, gently placed a hand over his. “It’ll be alright, Arthur.”   
Arthur looked at her doubtfully. “But what if it’s not?” 

“You have to at least try,” she said. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a girlfriend that I can finally give a proper kiss.” 

And with that, Morgana was out of the car and running happily down the path and towards the mess hall. Arthur smiled a bit. Even if it didn’t work out with him and Merlin, she would at least be happy. Slowly, anxiously, he got out of the car. He hadn’t told Merlin he was coming, which he regretted now. He had wanted it to be a surprise. Did Merlin like surprises? He didn’t know. 

Still, when his feet hit the ground of the camp, he knew it didn’t matter. That intoxicating pine-y, rainy smell was filling his lungs, and he felt like he could do anything. Like a scene straight out of a cheesy coming-of-age movie, he sprinted down the path and into the camp, searching for the sight of black hair and pale skin. Some of the kids cheered as he passed, and he waved cheerfully at them. He’d missed them, too. There was nothing like the innocence of children to give you hope for the future. 

“Merlin!?” He yelled. 

Gwaine came sprinting up to him, grinning like the sun itself. “He’s on the dock. Run!” 

Arthur thanked him quickly and ran off again, legs pounding against the ground and breath coming in short bursts. He skidded to a stop in front of the dock. Merlin was sitting at the end, head bowed and feet touching the surface of the water. He smiled to himself. God, how he’d missed him. 

“Merlin,” he said. 

The boy’s head whipped around. “Arthur?” 

Arthur beamed. “I’m back.” 

Merlin got to his feet and ran over to the prince, eyes wide with hope. With a burst of happiness, Arthur noticed the dragon necklace swinging from side to side as he ran. Merlin practically crashed into him, throwing his arms around Arthur and pulling him into a fierce hug. Arthur sighed happily and hugged him closer. They stood like that for a while, breathing in each other under the hot afternoon sun. Arthur was sure that someone would see, but he didn’t care. He didn’t have to keep secrets anymore. He was free. 

Merlin pulled away from him, and for a second he just looked. Arthur stood patiently, watching as Merlin took in the sight in front of him. Gone were the jeans and the fancy boots and designer sneakers. Arthur was wearing the bright yellow camp shirt and cargo shorts, feet bare except for a pair of flip-flops. 

Merlin smiled. “You look like you never left.” 

“I didn’t. Not really,” Arthur shrugged. “I feel like a real person now.” 

“You are a real person.” Merlin took one last long look at him and bit his lip thoughtfully. “Oh! I have something for you.” 

Arthur perked up. “What is it?” 

“Well, it’s-“ Merlin blushed a little. “Just-here.” 

Merlin pressed something cool and metal into Arthur’s hand. He opened it, and found a small pin-a crown done in the colours of the bisexual flag. Arthur felt tears prick at the corners of his eyes. It was something so simple, but it meant so much. 

“Thank you,” he whispered. 

Merlin nodded. “You can wear it wherever you go. A dinner, a ball, a press conference. Whatever it is you royals do.” 

Arthur let out a breathy laugh. “Yeah. I absolutely will.” 

Merlin grinned so brightly that Arthur felt his breath catch. “Good.” 

And then, before Arthur quite knew what was happening, he was kissing him. 

\---

Merlin wrapped an arm around Arthur’s waist and pulled him closer. His other hand wound through Arthur’s hair, eliciting a slight hum of approval from the prince. Arthur placed a hand behind Merlin’s head and pressed into him more insistently. Merlin smiled a little into the kiss and opened his mouth, giving Arthur access. Merlin’s hand drifted down from his hair to Arthur’s neck, and he could feel Arthur’s pulse thrumming against his fingers. Merlin’s heart gave a little jump at that, and he pushed against Arthur, walking him backwards until-

SPLASH. 

The roar of lake-water crashed over Arthur and Merlin’s heads. Merlin had accidentally walked him back off the dock. It was so ridiculous that he almost laughed. Instead, he broke through the surface and gasped for breath, tugging Arthur up next to him. The lake was fairly shallow, and their feet nearly touched the bottom. Merlin laughed and tugged Arthur closer, pressing their foreheads together. They didn’t kiss again, just stood there, breathing in the air and letting the cool water lap against them. Under the water, Merlin could see his dragon necklace glowing insistently. He was about to pull Arthur in for another kiss, but then-

“LAKE PARTYYYYYYY!” Someone yelled, and soon enough the entire camp had joined them, playing and swimming around happily. 

Arthur let out a loud laugh and tugged Merlin into another kiss. This one was quicker, but just long enough that one of the kids yelled, “ahhh!” Merlin grinned and the two separated, beaming as the sun beat down on the lake. Off by the shore, he could see Morgana and Gwen swimming and giggling, and a little farther off were Gwain, Elyan, Percival, and Leon, playing a game of Monkey in the Middle with the kids. 

Merlin sighed happily. Here with Arthur at Camp Camelot, he was home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, it's finally done! I had an excellent time writing this, and I hope you loved reading it! I'm gonna miss this AU. Truly, thank you for reading. I'm not ashamed to say that I always get very happy when I see that people are enjoying my work. 
> 
> Have a great day, and I'll see you for the next fic! 
> 
> (Oh, and if you're wondering, that was a slight bit inspired by Percy Jackson).

**Author's Note:**

> Second Merlin fic, heck yeah!   
> I got the idea for a Camp AU by watching quite a bit of Bunk'd while babysitting, as well as reading several others. The idea simply wouldn't leave my head, so here we go! I expect this to be a bit of a longer fic than the last Merlin fic, so prepare yourselves for that.   
> Anyway, here's the first chapter! Enjoy.


End file.
